Moths of North Carolina
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52 NC Records

Mea bipunctella (Dietz, 1905) - Two-spotted Mea Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tineoidea Family: TineidaeSubfamily: MeessiinaeTribe: [Meessiini]P3 Number: 300186.00 MONA Number: 305.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Leckie and Beadle (2018)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Dietz (1905)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a distinctly marked species with boldly contrasting black-and-white patterning on the forewing, and white tufts that contrast with the black face and sides of the head. The following detailed description is based on that of Dietz (1905). The labial palp is brown, with the apices of the second and third joints paler. The maxillary palp is yellowish. The face and anterior part of the head is black, while the remainder of the head and tufts are white. The antenna is nearly as long as the forewing and brown, except for a slightly paler apex. The thorax is white with a large oval, dark brown spot on each side before the insertion of the forewing. The ground color of the forewing is white, and is often overlain with a sordid tan wash that is most prominent on the posterior half. The costa has a black, irregular band that extends from base to the apex. An inward bulge occurs at about one-third and four-fifths the wing length. The inner margin has a narrow, irregular, black streak that extends from near the base to about one-half the wing length. The cilia are whitish to light tan with a blackish spot near the apex. The hindwing is grayish fuscous with a slightly lighter fringe, and the abdomen is grayish fuscous above. The legs are dark above with black and whitish banding on the tarsi. The rear leg is generally lighter than the other two.
Wingspan: 9.0 mm (Dietz, 1905)
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: Mea bipunctella is primarily found in the southeastern US from southern New Jersey southward to central Florida and westward to Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and southern Illinois. This species appears to be uncommon in most areas of the Coastal Plain of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, but common in other areas of the Coastal Plain to the west. As of 2020, most of our records are from the Piedmont, with only two site records from the Coastal Plain, and one from the western 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: Adults are in flight nearly year-round in Florida and from April through October elsewhere. As of 2020, our records extend from early June through early November. There is little evidence of a seasonal peak in activity, which suggests that populations may have two or more overlapping broods in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitats are undocumented. This species presumably does not feed on living plants and is not strongly dependent on particular host plants. Most of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.
Larval Host Plants: Like most North American tineids, the larvae and their food resources have never been reported. The larvae presumably feed on either detritus or on living fungi and lichens. - 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: This species seem to be reasonably secure in the state, particularly in the Piedmont, but additional information on its distribution, abundance and habitat requirements before we can fully assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Mea bipunctella - Two-spotted Mea Moth

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

Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-11-10
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen on 2023-10-28
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-10-13
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-15
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-06
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-02
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-17
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-17
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-10-24
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Richard Teper on 2022-09-06
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-09-02
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-09-02
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-01
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-16
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-06-11
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L.M. Carlson, Becky Watkins on 2022-06-09
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-01
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-25
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-25
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-11-02
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-15
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-05-21
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-05-11
Durham Co.
Comment: