Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Tineidae Members:	Acrolophus Members:	64 NC Records

Acrolophus mora (Grote, 1881) - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tineoidea

Family:
Tineidae

Subfamily:
[Acrolophinae]

Tribe:
[Acrolophini]

P3 Number:
300081

MONA Number:
367.00

MONA Synonym:
Acrolophus morus

Comments: The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Hasbrouck (1964)

Adult Markings: This species is unusual in exhibiting sexual dimorphism in coloration. The males are dark gray to blackish and the females a dull ocherish yellow to light or medium brown. The labial palp is intermediate in length and recurved back over the head, but extends only slightly onto the anterior margin of the thorax. The eyes are naked and lack prominent tufts of lashes. The antenna is simple, laminate, with the segments laterally flattened. In females, the hair-like scales that cover the thorax and head are dark reddish brown with pale to whitish tips (often uniformly blackish in males). The ground color of the forewing of females is ocherish yellow to medium brown. A pale ocherous band that is lighter than the ground extends along the internal margin from the base and terminates at or shortly before the anal angle. The band constricts near the mid-wing due to a wedge-shaped blackish mark that extends nearly to the inner margin. A small black spot is often evident within the pale band between the dark wedge and the extreme wing base. The costa has a series of dark spots that extend along most of the length and become larger before the apex. A small, dark, curved discal streak is usually present at about two-thirds the wing length. The hindwing is brownish fuscous, with the fringe slightly darker than the ground. The males have similar patterning, but are darker with an overall grayish brown or blackish tone. This is the only species in North Carolina with a flight period in October; all others fly during the spring and summer.

Wingspan: 25-30 mm (Forbes, 1923), but exceptionally small specimens are occasionally encountered (e.g., 18 mm; Hasbrouck, 1964).

Adult Structural Features: Hasbrouck (1964) has descriptions and illustrations of the male genitalia (also, see below). This species is not closely related to any of the other acrolophids found in America north of Mexico. It differs from the other members of the genus by having labial palps of intermediate length, naked eyes, laminate antennae, a bifid uncus, and paired gnathos.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The life history of the larval stage is largely undocumented. There is one record of a caterpillar that was feeding on birch leaves (Hasbrouck, 1964).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Acrolophus mora is found in eastern North America. The range extends from the New England states and adjoining areas of extreme southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec) southward to North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and vicinity. It extends westward to Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. MPG has the range extending as far south as northern Florida and Mississippi. This is inconsistent with both iNaturalist records and the range that was reported by Hasbrouck (1964). As of 2022, our records are all from the Piedmont and lower mountains.

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: Records for adults are from June through November in areas outside of North Carolina, with a strong seasonal peak in October. As of 2022, all of our records are from October through early November.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The habitat requirements are poorly resolved. A single record of this species feeding on birch leaves implies that forested habitats are required.

Larval Host Plants: There is one record of an adult being reared from a caterpillar that was feeding on birch leaves (Hasbrouck, 1964). This is atypical for a genus that has many species that feed on plant roots, and needs to be verified through additional observations. Heppner (2007) reports grasses are used as hosts, but it is unclear if this is based on actual observation or just inferred based on the hosts of other Acrolophus species. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights during their brief flight period in October and early November.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3-S4

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Acrolophus mora - None

66 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-23 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-23 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-21 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-21 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-21 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westph@ret.unca.edu on 2025-10-18 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-18 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-18 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-13 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-12 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2025-10-08 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2025-10-08 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-08 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-10-08 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-10-08 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-01 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-11-05 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-30 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-10-14 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-10-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-06 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-10-28 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-06 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-11-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-11-06 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-11-06 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-11-06 Wake Co. Comment: