Moths of North Carolina
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Epiblema Members:
12 NC Records

Epiblema exacerbatricana Heinrich, 1923 - Exasperating Epiblema

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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 51a1104.1 MONA Number: 3183.00
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 is based on the descriptions by Heinrich (1923) and Wright and Gilligan (2023). Epiblema exacerbatricana is a moderately small species with average forewing geometry. The palps, face, and head are sordid grayish-white and tinged with ocherous. The third joint of the palp is black, but often hidden by the elongated scales that are lower down on the palp. The thorax and forewing are predominantly ashy-grayish white, with the most distinctive mark on the forewing being an orangish-brown sub-basal fascia that has the distal margin edged in black. The fascia extends from the inner margin to just beyond the middle of the wing. Individuals from the northern part of the range lack the orange-brown coloration, and those from the Gulf Coast tend to be paler and more brightly colored (Wright and Gilligan, 2023). The ocellus consists of two broad, transverse bars of whitish, semi-metallic scaling that is often tinted with pink or pinkish-brown. The center has a small area of white, along with a median dark spot or streak. A triangular-shape, dark brown to blackish mark directly adjoins the proximal band of the ocellus, and there are five pairs of white costal strigulae on the distal half of the wing. The area between the last pair of strigulae and the termen is filled by a dark brown spot that borders a white slash mark that projects from the apex along the termen. The cilia are whitish with heavy fuscous-gray dusting, and the hindwing is dark smoky fuscous.
Forewing Length: 5.0-6.9 mm; mean = 6.1 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2023).
Adult Structural Features: Wright and Gilligan (2023) have descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Epiblema exacerbatricana is mostly found along the Atlantic Coast from Massachusetts to Georgia and central Florida, and westward along the Gulf Coast to Mississippi (Wright and Gilligan, 2023). As of 2024, our records for North Carolina are all from the southern half of the Coastal Plain, including the Sandhillls.
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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Flight Comments: With two exceptions, specimens that were examined by Wright and Gilligan (2023) from throughout the range were collected between mid-August to mid-November. As of 2024, our records extend from early-June through late-September, with one early season record from late-February.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Most of our records are from xeric to mesic communities, including xeric Long-leaf Pine communities, pine savannas and hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are apparently undocumented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2S3]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is uncommon in North Carolina. More information is needed on its host use and larval ecology before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.