Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFHepialidae Members:
Korscheltellus Members:
3 NC Records

Korscheltellus gracilis (Grote, 1864) - Conifer Swift Moth

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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Hepialoidea Family: HepialidaeSubfamily: [Hepialinae]Tribe: [Hepialini]P3 Number: 110011.00 MONA Number: 31.00
Comments: Korscheltellus gracilis is a member of the ghost moth, or swift family, a primitive group of over 500 species that is found worldwide. In North America the family is made up of at least 20 species in four genera, a vast majority of them of northerly or westerly affinities. Korscheltellus gracilis is one of only two Korscheltellus species that are currently recognized in North America, and the only one found in North Carolina. The taxonomy of the group remains in flux, and K. gracilis may eventually prove to be better placed in Pharmacis (Wagner, 1988).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923), Wagner (1988)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species is smaller than the other hepialids which occur in North Carolina. The forewings show a variable pattern of mottled gray and cream bands and patches, against a dark to rusty brown background. The banding is heaviest through the median and post-median areas, but also appears along the inner margin, along the costa, and in the subterminal area. These lighter areas are typically edged with black scaling, which is also peppered across the rest of the forewing. The fringe on both the forewing and hindwing is checked black and white. The hindwings, which are proportionally large and similar in shape to the forewings, are light to dark brown and largely unmarked, though some gray and brown patterning can sometimes be seen along the costa. The antennae are greatly reduced, and females are typically paler, with less distinctly patterning than the males. Males in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park tend to be darker than the mean (Wagner, 1988).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are subterranean borers that feed mostly on or in the roots of coniferous trees. The late instar of K. gracilis is very similar to that of Sthenopis auratus (see account) but can be differentiated by its uniformly whitish coloration and its unmodified dorsal pinacula (McCabe & Wagner, 1989). The life cycle takes two years to complete (Wagner, 1988).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Korscheltellus gracilis is widely distributed across southern Canada and adjoining areas of the eastern US, then southward along the Appalachians to North Carolina. In North Carolina, populations are restricted to the higher elevations of 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)

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