Moths of North Carolina

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

Home

View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Sparganothis Members:	23 NC Records

Sparganothis bistriata Kearfott, 1907 - Two-striped Sparganothis

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, BOLD

Technical 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.


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: 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

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