Moths of North Carolina
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Epiblema Members:
2 NC Records

Epiblema insidiosana Heinrich, 1923 - No Common Name

Epiblema insidiosana
view caption 		Epiblema insidiosana
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 51a1104.6 MONA Number: 3181.00
Species Status: The holotype and 13 syntypes for this species were collected from Southern Pines.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Heinrich (1923); Wright and Gilligan (2023).                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based on that of Heinrich (1923) and Wright and Gilligan (2023). This is a relatively small species of Epiblema (mean FWL = 5.5 mm) with a relatively broad forewing. The head and palps are mostly white, but the lateral surface of the second segment of the labial palp is tan. The vertex has a mixture of tan and white scales, and the dorsal surface of the scape varies from tan to grayish-white. The forewing is white with brown fasciate markings and brown transverse reticulations. A pale-brown basal patch is present on the basal third that extends from the inner margin inward to just beyond the middle of the wing. The patch is overlaid with three or four dark brown reticulations, and the outer margin is somewhat irregular. The central region of the wing has a vaguely defined whitish band that extends from the inner margin to the costa. The costa is evenly and conspicuously strigulated with narrow fuscous dashes from the base to the apex. A thin postmedian fascia is present before the ocellus. The ocellus has three pinkish to grayish components that include a proximal band, an apical quadrant, and a tornal quadrant, with the latter two separated by a blackish-brown longitudinal dash. The termen has a narrow salt-and-pepper colored band from the tornus to the apex, and the cilia are white and dusted basally with fuscous. The hindwing is smoky fuscous, and the cilia is whitish with dark shading on the basal and terminal portions. The legs are fuscous and banded with white.
Wingspan: 10-14.5 mm (Heinrich, 1923).
Forewing Length: 4.9-6.1 mm; mean = 5.5 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2023).
Adult Structural Features: Wright and Gilligan (2023) have descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
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: Wright and Gilligan (2023) identified specimens from North Carolina, Florida and Mississippi and noted that this species is poorly represented in collections.The U.S. National Museum also has specimens from Maine. As of 2024, the only known specimens from North Carolina are the type series from Southern Pines and a specimen from Scotland County.
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: Specimens that were identified by Wright and Gilligan (2023) had collection dates from mid-May to early-September. The type series from Southern Pines had dates of 1-7 June and 16-23 July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitats are poorly documented, but a recent record from Scotland co. was from a Long-leaf Pine forest, with a nearby wetland.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are apparently undocumented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights, but perhaps only weakly so given the scarcity of records in collections.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S1S2]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species was described from specimens collected from near Southern Pines in the early 1920's and has not been found since then until recently when a specimen was taken in nearby Scotland County.

 Photo Gallery for Epiblema insidiosana - No common name

Photos: 2

Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2021-06-07
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: on 0000-06-01
Moore Co.
Comment: Holotype from USNM; type locality and type series was collected from 1-7 June and 16-23 July by Dr. Barnes from Southern Pines prior to 1921.