Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFTortricidae Members: Sparganothis Members: 5 NC Records

Sparganothis caryae (Robinson, 1869) - Netted Sparganothis

Sparganothis caryaeSparganothis caryae
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Tortricinae		Tribe:
Sparganothini		P3 Number:
51a0386		 MONA Number:
3700.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Powell and Brown (2012)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In this species the head, palps, and thorax are reddish-brown, and the ground color of the forewing is pale yellow and evenly reticulated throughout with circles of pale reddish brown (Powell and Brown, 2012). The circles are usually most dense near the end of the discal cell and often form a small, darker spot. The fringe in concolorous with the ground color, and the hindwing is usually creamy white with a similar fringe.
Forewing Length: 7.0–9.0 mm for males and 9.0–11.0 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: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Sparganothis caryae occurs from Maine southward to southern Florida and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, and Michigan. As of 2023, we have a single site record from the central Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Sparganothis caryaeAlamance 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 Hanover 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: The adults have been observe during almost every month of the year in the southern portion of the range, and mostly from March through September in the north. As of 2023, our one state record is from 28 May.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitats are poorly documented, but appear to vary from xeric Coastal Plain communities to more mesic hardwood forests. As of 2023, our one site record was from a residential neighborhood in the Piedmont.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are largely unknown even though hickories have been presumed to be the host based on the specific epithet (Powell and Brown, 2012). The only known host record is "scrub oak" (presumably Quercus ilicifolia) for a specimen reared in New Jersey. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection:
Comments: This species appears to be rare in North Carolina, but additional information is needed on host use, distribution, and abundance before we can assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Sparganothis caryae - Netted Sparganothis

Photos: 6
Sparganothis caryae
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2025-05-16
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Sparganothis caryae
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment:
Sparganothis caryae
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Sparganothis caryae
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Sparganothis caryae
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-06-12
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Sparganothis caryae
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2016-05-28
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: