Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Pelochrista Members:	38 NC Records
Pelochrista guttulana Blanchard, 1979 - Speckled Pelochrista

Taxonomy

Superfamily: Tortricoidea	Family: Tortricidae	Subfamily: Olethreutinae	Tribe: Eucosmini	P3 Number: 51a0891.1	MONA Number: 3009.20	MONA Synonym: Eucosma guttulana	Other Common Name: Speckled Eucosma Moth
Comments: Pelochrista is a large Holarctic genus of tortricids with around 75% of the 226 described species being native to North America (Wright and Gilligan, 2017). The highest species richness occurs in the western half of North America. The genus has a long and confusing taxonomic history, with many of the species formerly placed in the genus Eucosma. Gilligan et al. (2014) conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Pelochrista, Eucosma, and related genera and redefined the genus Eucosma and Pelochrista based on differences in female genitalia. The great majority of Pelochrista species are known only from adults, which likely reflects the fact that the larvae of most species bore into stem bases and roots and are concealed from view. Members of the Asteraceae are the likely hosts for most species (Wright and Gilligan, 2017), but much work need to be done to identifying the hosts.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Wright and Gilligan (2017)

Adult Markings: Pelochrista guttulana is a distinctive species that varies from medium brown to blackish gray and is sprinkled with lighter markings. The head, palps, and thorax have a mixture of whitish and brown or blackish-gray scales and the antenna is medium to dark brown. The forewing ground color varies from brown to blackish gray and is extensively sprinkled with small white spots or patches of varying sizes and shapes (Wright and Gilligan, 2017). The costa has a series of poorly organized white spots along its length, with a relatively large one in the subapical region. The ocellus consists of a large, white, irregular patch that is often fragmented and that resembles that of P. robinsonana in having pinkish bars on the lateral margins. The white speckles sometimes align into what resembles highly fragmented versions of the white markings in P. robinsonana. The fringe is paler than the ground, and the tarsi are white with bold banding that matches the ground color. The hindwing is brown with a paler fringe.

Pelochrista guttulana is closely related to P. robinsonana and is a little larger (mean FWL = 8.6 vs. 6.8 mm). Wright and Gilligan (2017) noted that there are no substantial differences in genitalia between the two species.

Forewing Length: 6.7-10.7 mm; mean 8.6 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2017)

Adult Structural Features: Wright and Gilligan (2017) provide detailed illustrations of the male and female genitalia. As with P. robinsonana, the most distinctive features are a series of long marginal spines on the cucullus from the angle to the distal end of neck, a triangular medial protrusion of the posterior margin of the sternum 7, and an elongate trough-like signum on the dorsal surface of the corpus bursae that is medially located on a large patch of sclerotized membrane.

Structural photos

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: Pelochrista guttulana is primarily restricted to the southeastern Coastal Plain. Scattered records occur from Oklahoma and Texas eastward to central Florida. From there the range extends northward to North Carolina. Most records are from coastal habitats in the Gulf and Atlantic states. As of 2022, all of our records are from coastal communities in the lower Coastal Plain.
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 have been found in most months of the year except January and February. Wright and Gilligan (2017) examined specimens that were collected between 1 March and 10 November. As of 2022, our records suggest that local populations may be bivoltine, with adults flying from early April to late-June, then again in late-September and October.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Populations are typically found in sandy, xeric communities and largely in communities such as dunes and maritime forests with herbaceous ground cover. In North Carolina, this species is fairly common in the dune grasslands of barrier islands (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.).

Larval Host Plants: The host plants are undocumented, but Heterotheca subaxillaris is suspected since it is almost always present where local populations occur in North Carolina (J.B. Sullivan, per. obs.). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. Like most Pelochrista, the host plants are unknown and in much need of study.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Maritime Dune Grass and Forblands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1S3

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: This species reaches its northern limit in North Carolina and appears to be restricted to dunes and maritime communities. It can be locally abundant in dune habitats.

Photo Gallery for Pelochrista guttulana - Speckled Pelochrista		38 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-11-20 Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-11-01 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-10-31 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-10-30 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-10-29 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-21 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Larry Chen on 2024-06-10 Dare Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-09 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-07 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-05 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-05 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-11-08 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-10-27 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-10-26 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-10-25 Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-10-24 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-10-24 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-07-27 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-06 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-05 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-04 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-02 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-01 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-04-05 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-10-27 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-10-23 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-10-23 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-10-01 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-05-07 Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-05-03 Pender Co. Comment:

Pelochrista guttulana Blanchard, 1979 - Speckled Pelochrista

Photo Gallery for Pelochrista guttulana - Speckled Pelochrista

38 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.