Moths of North Carolina
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10 NC Records

Eucosma tomonana Kearfott, 1907 - Aster-head Eucosma Moth

Eucosma tomonanaEucosma tomonanaEucosma tomonana
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 51a0836 MONA Number: 2936.00 MONA Synonym: Phaneta tomonana
Comments: Eucosma tomonana is one of five species with similar genitalia that Wright and Gilligan (2015) recognized as the parmatana species group.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Kearfott (1907a); Wright and Gilligan (2015)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is primarily on the description by Kearfott (1907a). The head, palps, antennae and thorax are hoary-gray. The forewing ground is also hoary-gray with very faint strigulations, and is overlain with two conspicuous blackish-brown dorsal patches. The first is a half crescent-shaped mark at one-third the wing length that curves obliquely outward and terminates near the middle of the wing. The second is semi-ovate patch that occurs at about two-thirds and only extends about a fourth of the way inward. The costa is streaked with long lines of light coppery-tan to grayish-brown. A fragmented one at the middle curves towards the second dorsal patch where it often meets and broadens at its terminus, while a second one just beyond the middle curves all the way to the anal angle. Beyond this are shorter lines that curve outwardly towards the middle of the termen. The ocellus is gray with two or more horizontal black dashes or dots. The fringe is speckled gray, and the hindwing is light smoky-gray with a paler fringe. Eucosma tomonana resembles Suleima helianthana, which occurs farther east in the Piedmont and generally has a less prominent post-median patch and a more prominent ocellus.
Wingspan: 12-15 mm (Heinrich, 1923)
Forewing Length: 5.3-7.3 mm; mean = 6.4 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2015)
Adult Structural Features: Wright and Gilligan (2015) provide illustrations of the male and female genitalia, along with a general description of the genitalia that applies to all members of the parmatana species group. The general description for members of this group follows.

In males, the uncus is moderately developed with the apex usually rounded. The valva has a concave costal margin, and the ventral emargination is deep to moderate and U-shaped. The saccular corner is angulate, and the cucullus is elongate, with the dorsal lobe strongly developed. The apex is rounded and the distal margin is convex to nearly straight, while the ventral lobe is moderately developed and the anal angle is narrowly rounded.

In females, the papillae anales are moderately setose and microtrichiate. The sterigma is moderately elongated, and the lamella postvaginalis is rectangular, with the lateral margins fused with the posterior lobes of sternum 7. Sternum 7 has moderately to strongly developed semi-triangular lateral extremities. Scaling of sternum 7 is dense on the posterior lobes and lateral projections, and relatively sparse elsewhere. The ductus bursae has a sclerotized ring at the juncture with the ductus seminalis, and the corpus bursae has one signum that is slightly larger than the other.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Putman (1942) observed larvae feeding on flower heads of New England Aster, but did not provide details about the larval life history.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Eucosma tomonana is restricted to eastern North America where is occurs in southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; Nova Scotia) and in the US from Maine westward to Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas, and southward to North Carolina and Tennessee. As of 2022, all of our records are from the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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: Local populations appear to be univoltine with adults flying from July through September in different areas of the range. As of 2022, all of our records are from late-August through mid-September, with the exception of one early seasonal record from mid-July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species is generally associated with sunny or partially shaded habitats that support asters and other composites.
Larval Host Plants: Records for host use are largely lacking. Putman (1942) reported that the larvae feed on the flower heads of New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae). Other species of asters or perhaps other composites are likely used in North Carolina since New England Aster is not present at several of our collection sites. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2-S3]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is at the southern limit of its range in the western mountains and appears to be uncommon within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Eucosma tomonana - Aster-head Eucosma Moth

Photos: 14

Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2023-09-25
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2023-09-25
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-15
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-15
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-09-14
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-12
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-09-07
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-09-07
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2019-09-29
Cabarrus Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-09-07
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-09-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2018-08-29
Yancey Co.
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