Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFTortricidae Members: Sparganothis Members: 23 NC Records

Sparganothis bistriata Kearfott, 1907 - Two-striped Sparganothis


Sparganothis bistriataSparganothis bistriataSparganothis bistriataSparganothis bistriata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea
Family:
Tortricidae
Subfamily:
Tortricinae
Tribe:
Sparganothini
P3 Number:
51a0393
MONA Number:
3698.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Powell and Brown (2012)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based on that of Powell and Brown (2012). The head and palps are pale yellow to yellowish orange. The ground color of the forewing is pale yellowish-orange to cream-yellow and is overlain with two conspicuous longitudinal reddish-brown streaks that terminate at or before reaching the terminal fourth of the wing. One occurs along the costa, and the other through the middle of the discal cell near the middle of the wing. A short reddish-brown linear streak is also present near the middle of the dorsal margin. In addition to the marks described above, the forewing has irregularly scattered, angled and iridescent scales that are most evident on fresh specimens. The fringe is concolorous with the ground color, and the hindwing varies from grayish to brown and has a paler fringe. Sparganothis tristriata is similar, but has three longitudinal streaks that either reach all the way to the termen or coalesce together just before the termen.
Forewing Length: 7.6–8.2 mm for males and 9.6–11.0 mm for females (Powell and Brown, 2012)
Adult Structural Features: Powell and Brown (2012) have illustrations and descriptions of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Very little is known about the larval life history. In North Carolina the larvae are common on Longleaf Pine where they tie together needles to form shelters (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.; identification made based on rearing).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Sparganothis bistriata is primarily found in the southeastern Coastal Plain from Virginia southward to Florida and westward across the Gulf States to central Texas, southern Arkansas, western Tennessee, and Missouri. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Coastal Plain and adjoining areas of the eastern Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Sparganothis bistriataAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: Many local populations appear to produce two broods each year (Powell and Brown, 2012). The adults fly from February through October in Florida and mostly from May through September farther north. As of 2023, our records are from late May through late August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species is typically found in pine-dominated communities.
Larval Host Plants: The only documented host is Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), but other southern pines are possibly used. In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan has reared larvae from Longleaf Pine. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larval shelters can be found in young Longleaf Pines.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Pine Forests and Woodlands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] S2S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is near its northern limit in North Carolina, but can be locally common in Longleaf Pine communities.

 Photo Gallery for Sparganothis bistriata - Two-striped Sparganothis

Photos: 22
Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-06
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-02
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-12
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13
Moore Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-30
Moore Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-09
Scotland Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: David George on 2021-06-29
Durham Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-01
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-01
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-28
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-28
Wake Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Alicia Jackson on 2017-06-29
Brunswick Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Alicia Jackson on 2017-06-29
Brunswick Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: NEW on 2011-08-26
Moore Co.
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Sparganothis bistriataRecorded by: Harry Wilson on 2011-06-02
Wake Co.
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