Moths of North Carolina
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Epiblema Members:
23 NC Records

Epiblema carolinana (Walsingham, 1895) - Gray-blotched Epiblema Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 621087.00 MONA Number: 3192.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Wright and Gilligan (2023)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Thompson and Guelph (1928)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species has complex patterning that includes mixtures of white, brown, gray and black. The palps, head, antennae and thorax are brown, with the latter having a tuft of reddish-brown scales. The forewing has a broad, dark brown basal patch that is speckled with white and black patches. The distal margin of the basal patch is scalloped and blackish, and contrast with the middle two-thirds of the wing that is white with overlaying diffuse patches of gray. The whitish middle portion of the wing is followed by a zone of predominantly brownish patches that are interspersed with irregular white streaks and gray striations, along with a prominent black spot in the pre-tornal area (Wright and Gilligan, 2023). The ocellus is white with transverse gray bars on the lateral margins. There is a black eyespot or elongated mark below the apical corner of the ocellus and from 1-4 black spots or dashes on the white central field. The costal strigulae are mostly gray on the basal two-thirds of the costa, but white on the apical third to the apex. There is a narrow reddish-brown band on the apical two-thirds of the termen and the fringe is gray.
Wingspan: 16-25 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Forewing Length: 6.9-10.9 mm; mean = 9.2 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 good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) and Grayhead Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata). The following life history account is based on a detailed study by Thompson and Guelph (1928) in Ontario where the larvae fed on Cutleaf Coneflower. Females lay their whitish eggs singly in the blossoms on the inside base of a bract over a period of around six days. The eggs hatch in 4-5 days and the larvae pass through six instars. The first three instars burrow into and feed on the receptacle of the inflorescence. Each infested receptacle has a single larva that is capable of consuming most of the receptacle. The third instar larva eventually leaves the flower head and drops by a silken thread to the ground. It then crawls back up the surface of the stem about 10 cm and bores into the stem. Once inside, the larvae tunnels until it reaches the roots, then gradually hollows out a large cavity that is often 1.3 cm wide and as long as 15-18 cm. Thompson and Guelph (1928) found some larvae in the roots as much as 18 cm below the surface. The larvae overwinter in the root burrows, and plug the entrance holes before entering diapause. The following summer, each larva creates an exit hole immediately below the old entrance hole and pupates, with the adults emerging through the exit holes. Pupation begins in late spring or early summer in Ontario, and the pupal stage lasts from 17-20 days. Emergence in local populations is presumably timed to coincide when the host plants are flowering. The full-grown larvae are 16-17 mm long and creamy white, with a brown head and a lighter yellowish brown thoracic shield. The body is sparsely dotted with small brown spots.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Epiblema carolinana is found in eastern North America. The range extends from Maine and other New England states southward to northern Florida, and westward to western Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, eastern Kansas and Minnesota. Populations are also known from adjoining areas of southern Canada from Manitoba eastward to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. As of 2024, our records are all from the Blue Ridge and Piedmont.
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 observed from May through September in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak commonly in July and August. As of 2024, our records extend from early June through late August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Populations are commonly found in mesic to bottomland settings, particularly where openings support the establishment of Cutleaf Coneflower and possibly other hosts.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae have been reported to feed on Rudbeckia, with Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) appearing to be a widely used host (Heinrich, 1923; Thompson and Guelph, 1928; Putman, 1942; MacKay, 1959; Godfrey et al., 1987; Miller, 1987; Lam et al., 2011; Wright and Gilligan, 2023). Grayhead Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) is also a documented host based on U.S. National Museum records (Wright and Gilligan, 2023). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species can be locally common in areas that support Cutleaf Coneflower. More information is needed on host use in North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Epiblema carolinana - Gray-blotched Epiblema Moth

Photos: 24

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-22
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-21
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-21
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-16
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-03
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Teper, David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-09
Yancey Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-09
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-08-08
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-08-08
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-08-29
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-08-21
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-08-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-08-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-07
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-25
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-25
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2018-08-07
Yancey Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2018-08-05
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-06-09
Cabarrus Co.
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