Moths of North Carolina
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13 NC Records

Mea skinnerella (Dietz, 1905) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tineoidea Family: TineidaeSubfamily: MeessiinaeTribe: [Meessiini]P3 Number: 300187.00 MONA Number: 306.00
Comments: This is one of two species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl et al., 2016), both of which have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based primarily on those of Dietz (1905) and Forbes (1923). The palps and face are blackish and the upper half of the head pure white. The antenna has a whitish base that fades into fuscous brown for the remainder of its length. The thorax is white. The ground color of the forewing is also white, but often has a dull orangish to tannish wash that is most concentrated on the apical half. The costa has a narrow, irregular black border that extends to about four-fifths its length. The black border has three inward bulges, including one at the base, a second just before the middle, and a third at about four-fifths. A black spot or small blotch is usually present just below the apex, and a small black spot is present just above the posterior edge of the middle costal bulge. The cilia are orangish to tannish, with dark brown scattered scales, and one or two irregular dividing lines. The hindwing is grayish fuscous with yellowish fuscous cilia. The front and middle legs are blackish with narrow whitish bands at the tarsal joints. The hind legs are lighter and tinged with gray and fuscous. The abdomen is pale grayish fuscous with a yellowish-white anal brush.
Wingspan: 7.5 mm (Forbes, 1923)
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: Mea skinnerella is found in eastern North America from Quebec, Maine, and Vermont southward to northern Florida, and westward to Louisiana, western Tennessee, Ohio, and Illinois. As of 2020, our records are mostly from the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont, with one record from a lower elevation site in 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 have been recorded from April through October in areas outside of North Carolina, with a seasonal peak in activity in July. As of 2020, our records extend from early June through early October, with Coastal Plain records most common in late summer.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitats are poorly documented. The larvae presumably do not feed on living vegetation and do not depend on specific host plants.
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 appear to only occasionally visit 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 have only six site records as of 2020, which suggests that this species is either uncommon or is not strongly attracted to lights. Additional information on its distribution and abundance is needed before we can assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Mea skinnerella - No common name

Photos: 10

Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-10-06
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-29
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-10-10
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-06-04
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-09-24
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-09-13
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2018-06-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2017-09-27
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2013-08-27
Camden Co.
Comment: