Moths of North Carolina
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Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Psychidae Members:
Astala confederata
Basicladus tracyi
Basicladus unidentified species
Cryptothelea gloverii
Cryptothelea unidentified species
Dahlica walshella
Oiketicus abbotii
Prochalia pygmaea
Psychidae unidentified species
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis
Zamopsyche commentella
Astala
Members:
Astala confederata
5 NC Records
Astala confederata
(Grote & Robinson, 1868) - No Common Name
Taxonomy
Family:
Psychidae
Subfamily:
Psychinae
P3 Number:
300013.00
MONA Number:
443.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Davis (1964)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Davis (1964)
Adult Markings:
The females are flightless and live within their cases. The body and wings of the males of this species are uniformly dark fuscous, and the body has a somewhat sparse covering of hairs (Davis, 1964). The antenna has 22-24 segments, and the abdomen reaches to the hind margin of the hind wings. Davis (1964) noted that the wings are closely scaled and that the discal scales of the forewing are moderately broad and oblanceolate, with the apex usually acute.
Wingspan:
16-20 mm (Davis, 1964).
Adult Structural Features:
Wing venation can be helpful in identifying this species (Davis, 1964). Spur 1A of the forewing is often atrophied. The hindwing has an oblique crossvein between Sc+Ri, and Rs is closer to the apex of the discal cell than in other congenerics. In addition, M2 and 3 are usually widely separate and rarely connate.
Immatures and Development:
The larval life history is poorly documented, but the larvae are thought to feed mostly on grasses since the cases are typically constructed of grass culms. The hatchlings spin small cases that are initially upright, but soon drag behind the growing larva due to the increased weight of the case. Davis (1964) reported that the cases of mature larvae and females vary from 15-20 mm long and 4-5 mm in diameter. The silk is grayish white and is heavily covered and interwoven with minute plant fragments. These are typically longitudinal pieces of grass culms, with other small stems attached firmly anteriorally. The pieces diverge somewhat as they project backwards and typically extend for most of the bag length. The larval period is undocumented, but likely last a minimum of 2-3 months as is the case for psychids in general. Pupation occurs within the larval case, with the adult males emerging from the rear end of the case. Mating presumably occurs within the case, with the males have a telescoping abdomen that allows them to reach the females genitalia on the other end of the case (Davis, 1964).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Immature Dates:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)
Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants:
Robinson et al. (2010) list chestnut, cherry, oak, and privet as hosts. We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. -
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Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
Comments:
Photo Gallery for
Astala confederata
- No common name
Photos: 9
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, John Petranka on 2023-07-07
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-27
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-27
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-05-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: This adult was reared from a larva collected on 4-13-21 from Mecklenburg County (see companion photo). The case was kept indoors prior to its eclosion on 5-17-21.
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-05-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: This photo shows broad scales in the disc of the forewing, which is one of the characters that key this to A. confederata as described in Davis (1964).
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-05-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: This photo shows broad scales in the disc of the forewing and a scaled forewing margin without a white fringe. These are the characters that key this to A. confederata as described in Davis (1964).
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-04-13
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: A larva and case that was collected on 4-13-21. The larva was kept indoors prior to its eclosion on 5-17-21 (see companion photo of the adult)..