Moths of North Carolina
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Homosetia Members:
7 NC Records

Homosetia fasciella (Chambers, 1873) - No Common Name

Homosetia fasciellaHomosetia fasciella
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tineoidea Family: TineidaeSubfamily: MeessiinaeTribe: [Meessiini]P3 Number: 300132 MONA Number: 291.00
Comments: Homosetia is a small genus with 12 recognized species that are found only in North America.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Chambers (1877)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based on the description by Chambers (1877). The labial palp is silvery white with the second joint with a narrow brown line extending along its outer surface. The face is white, the vertex rufous, and the antenna pale fuscous. The thorax is golden brown above and with a golden brown streak or spot on each side just underneath the base of the wings. The forewing is golden and tinged with brown, and the costal and dorsal margins are brown. Before the middle there are two large tufts of raised scales opposite each other. The inner one is brown and the outer one whitish or silvery gray, and both margined all around with brown. There are two similar tufts in the apical part of the wing at about four-fifths the length. There are seven small silvery white costal streaks, one before the first pair of tufts and another just behind it, and both pointing obliquely backwards. The third is smaller and placed just before the last two tufts, and is nearly perpendicular to the margin, and the other four are in the apical part of the wing. There are also seven small dorsal silvery white streaks nearly opposite the costal ones, the third dorsal one (from the apex) connected faintly with its opposite costal one. The cilia are pale fulvous. The above description is based on Chambers' specimens from Kentucky. Many specimens of this species appear to be much darker (BOLD) and the light brown along the wing margin is often missing or broken into small light brown spots or dashes. We have treated these darker forms that have a white face and rufous vertex (often dulled down in darker specimens) as this species. We have much to learn about the range of phenotypic variation in this species, which may eventually be found to be a member of a species complex, much like the H. bifasciella complex.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The life history of the larval stage is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Homosetia fasciella is found in eastern North America. The range includes southern Canada (Albert and Saskatchewan, eastward to Nova Scotia) and the northeastern US southward to North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Populations are found as far west as Wisconsin and Illinois. As of 2020, we have records from all three physiographic provinces.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Records from outside of North Carolina are from May through August. As of 2020, we have records from January through June. We have records from January and March at a coastal site which are outside the normal flight time of this species.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitat preferences are poorly documented.
Larval Host Plants: The feeding ecology is undocumented, but it is very likely that this species does not depend on living plants as hosts. It presumably feeds on detritus, fungi, lichens, bird feathers or other organic matter like most other tineids. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species in North Carolina to assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Homosetia fasciella - No common name

Photos: 7

Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-05-30
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-07-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-05-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-05-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2015-05-11
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2014-09-17
Warren Co.
Comment: