Moths of North Carolina
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Pseudogalleria Members:
29 NC Records

Pseudogalleria inimicella (Zeller, 1872) - Inimical Borer Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: GrapholitiniP3 Number: 621391.00 MONA Number: 3500.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In this species the head tuft, antennae, and palps are reddish-brown. The thorax is mottled with reddish-brown and paler coloration, and has an inconspicuous posterior scale tuft. The forewing is variable in coloration, but commonly has a rusty-red or rusty brown ground color that is overlain with a paler wash. The basal region typically has a yellowish-red to dull gray wash on the costal half that phases into the darker reddish ground color at around one-half. A similar pale wash is present on the apical two-thirds that begins as a narrow longitudinal band on the inner margin and gradually widens posteriorly. It typically cuts diagonally across the wing and reaches all the way to the apex and termen. The wing has varying numbers of scattered black to dark brown specks and spots that tend to be concentrated on the dorsal two-thirds. A line of 4-6 subapical dots are also present on the dorsal two-thirds that roughly parallel the termen. The most diagnostic mark is a reddish-brown and more-or-less crescent-shaped mark at the termen that boldly cuts into the fringe before the anal angle. The costa is heavily shaded with reddish-black, and the hindwing is brown to reddish-brown with a paler fringe that often has scattered blotches of darker color.
Wingspan: 13-20 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Forewing Length: 8.0-11.0 mm (Gilligan et al., 2008).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) has illustrations of the male and female genitalia and Heinrich (1923) has a description of the male genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are borers that feed in the bases of stems and the rootstocks of greenbriers (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1023; Putnam, 1942), but details of the larval life history are lacking.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Pseudogalleria inimicella is found throughout most of the eastern US and adjoining areas of southern Canada (Manitoba; Ontario; Quebec). In the US the range extends from southern Maine to southern Florida and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This species occurs essentially statewide in 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 fly from January through September in Florida and from April through October elsewhere, with a seasonal peak from May through July in most areas of the range. As of 2022, our records extends from early April through mid-October. Most local populations likely have two or more generations given the extended flight season in North Carolina.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations occur in a variety of habitats that support greenbriers, included hardwood and mixed pine-hardwood forests, bottomland forests, wetland margins, forest openings, woodland borders, and old fields.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on Smilax (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1023; Putnam, 1942), but the only species that has been reported to be a host is Smooth Carrion-flower (S. herbacea; Putnam, 1942). Other species are undoubtedly used in North Carolina since we have several records from the Coastal Plain where S. herbacea does not occur. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. Additional information is needed on host use in North Carolina.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Greenbrier Tangles
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:

 Photo Gallery for Pseudogalleria inimicella - Inimical Borer Moth

Photos: 28

Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-04-20
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-04-04
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-10-11
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-05-23
Beaufort Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-05
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-04
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-04-16
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-13
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-08-15
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-21
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-04-21
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2020-10-20
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-29
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-29
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-28
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-28
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-04-22
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-16
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-07-27
Onslow Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2019-04-30
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2017-04-17
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Coin, C. Sorenson on 2015-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Merrill Lynch on 2015-05-11
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: Newman, Randy on 2006-05-05
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Newman, Randy on 2006-05-05
Carteret Co.
Comment: