Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Epiblema Members:	8 NC Records

Epiblema glaseri Wright & Gilligan, 2023 - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Olethreutinae

Tribe:
Eucosmini

P3 Number:
51a1104.2n

MONA Number:
3183.10

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Wright and Gilligan (2023)

Adult Markings: The following description is based on that of Wright and Gilligan (2023). In this species the third segment of the labial palp is black, while the lateral surface of the second segment is tan with an elongate black mark near the dorsal margin. The lateral surface of the first segment has a black mark. The lower frons is white, while the upper frons and vertex are orangish-brown. The antenna is brown with black marks on the pedicel and scape. The thorax is gray above, with a blackish transverse line on each thoracic segment. The tegula is pale gray with a conspicuous black mark near the base and an obscure blackish mark near the tip. The forewing dorsal surface is dark brownish-gray with blackish-brown markings, and sometimes with orangish tints in the sub-basal and pretornal marks. The sub-basal mark is quadrate and extends from the inner margin to the cell. It usually has black edging on the lateral margins. The median fascia is vaguely defined as a gray band that extends from the mid-costa to the inner margin, and is overlaid with various black marks. The latter including a mid-costal bar and a prominent triangular pretornal mark. The postmedian fascia is prominent. It is thin near the costa and expands anterior to the ocellus. The ocellus has gray bands on the lateral margins and two black marks on the central field. The paired costal strigulae beyond the midwing are white and prominent, and the termen has a narrow salt-and-pepper colored band.

Wright and Gilligan (2023) noted that E. glaseri resembles E. exacerbatricana in size and forewing shape. The forewing differs from the latter in being darker and more mottled, and in having an orangish versus a gray head in E. exacerbatricana.

Forewing Length: 5.2-7.9 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.

Genitalia and other 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 Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina.

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: The adults have been collected from May through July in different areas of the range (Wright and Gilligan, 2023). As of 2024, our records late-July through early-September. Populations in North Carolina are univoltine.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our very limited records are all from xeric communities in the Sandhills.

Larval Host Plants: The hosts are undocumented. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Fire-maintained Sandhills

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR[S1S2]

State Protection:

Comments: This is a seemingly rare species in North Carolina that is only known from three sites in the Sandhills as of 2024. The nearest known population is in Georgia.

Photo Gallery for Epiblema glaseri - None

Photos: 13

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-07-26 Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-07-26 Scotland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-07-26 Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-07-26 Scotland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-08-11 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan and S.P. Hall on 2020-09-10 Moore Co. Comment: verified by genitalia (in Wright and Gilligan, 2023).