Moths of North Carolina
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5 NC Records

Eucosma ambodaidaleia (Miller, 1983) - No Common Name

Eucosma ambodaidaleiaEucosma ambodaidaleiaEucosma ambodaidaleia
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 51a0790 MONA Number: 3004.10
Comments: Eucosma ambodaidaleia is one of four species that Wright and Gilligan (2015) recognized as comprising the lapidana species group. Three of the four species are nearly indistinguishable based on genitalia and forewing appearance, but they differ in their geographic distributions and/or flight periods. Eucosma ambodaidaleia, however, can be easily separated from the others by forewing color.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Wright and Gilligan (2015)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on that of Wright et al. (1997). The head, palps, and thorax are brownish gray and concolorous with a longitudinal band that runs along the inner margin. The forewing ground color is creamy white, which is most evident along the veins and in the subcostal region. In most specimens a wide brownish gray band extends along the inner margin to near the anal angle. The band extends inward to near the middle of the wing where it meets a light yellowish-brown region with narrow, brownish ocherous longitudinal streaks that extend from the base outward to the termen. The streaks run between the veins and accentuate their creamy white appearance. The forewing is overlaid with a sprinkling of dark brown dots that are accentuated on the apical half of the costa and the outer margin. The dots on the outer margin occur between the veins, which creates the impression of an intermittent terminal line. The hindwing is light brown to grayish-brown with a lighter fringe that has a subbasal dark line.
Wingspan: 9.0-10.5 mm for males and 7.9-8.3 mm for females (Wright et al., 1997)
Forewing Length: 8.4-10.5 mm; mean = 9.4 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2015)
Adult Structural Features: Wright and Gilligan (2015) provide illustrations of the male and female genitalia. They also provide a general description of the genitalia of members of the lapidana species group as follows. In males, the uncus is weakly developed. The costal margin of the valva is weakly concave and the ventral emargination is moderate. The neck narrows somewhat distally and the saccular corner is angulate with a rounded vertex. The cucullus has the dorsal lobe strongly developed, the apex rounded, and the distal margin convex to nearly straight. The anal angle is moderately developed and the basoventral margin extends over the ventral one-half of the medial surface of neck.

In females, the papillae anales are moderately setose and microtrichiate. The lamella postvaginalis is rectangular to tapering posteriorly, moderately elongate, and microtrichiate. The lateral extremities of sternum 7 are pointed and strongly developed, while the scaling of sternum 7 is dense on the posterior lobes and anterolateral margins. The ductus bursae has a sclerotized ring at the juncture with the ductus seminalis, and the corpus bursae has one signum that is larger than the other.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Eucosma ambodaidaleia is found in Coastal Plain habitats from eastern Texas to Maryland. It also occurs in inland regions from New York westward to Ontario and Wisconsin and southward to West Virginia and Kentucky.
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: The adults are active in late-winter and early spring and have been observed from January through April in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak most commonly in March and April. As of 2022, our records are from late-January through early March.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitats are poorly documented, but habitats that support an herbaceous ground layer with asters or other composites seem essential.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are unknown, but are presumably asters or other composites (Wright et al., 1997). - 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:
Comments: This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina and restricted to a few coastal communities. Additional information is needed on host use, habitat preferences, and distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Eucosma ambodaidaleia - No common name

Photos: 4

Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-03-02
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-02-18
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-02-03
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-01-23
Onslow Co.
Comment: