Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Crambidae Members:	Scoparia Members:	159 NC Records

Scoparia biplagialis Walker, 1866 - Double-striped Scoparia

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Scopariinae

Tribe:
[Scopariini]

P3 Number:
80a1369

MONA Number:
4716.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Munroe (1972)

Adult Markings: In this species the thorax, vertex, and forewing are mottled gray, white, brown, and black and the palps are porrect. The orbicular and claviform spots on the forewing are usually elongated, outlined with black, and filled with brown (Munroe, 1972). In North Carolina specimens the fill is often dark brown or black. Both the antemedian and postmedian lines are white. The antemedian is smoothly curved or slightly bent from the anal vein to the inner margin. The postmedian either zig-zags or is dentate between the costa and the median flexture just before the middle of the wing, then runs obliquely straight and forward to the inner margin in the subtornal region. In our other species of Scoparia, the orbicular and claviform are smaller and the postmedian is not dentate or strongly angled. Scoparia biplagialis also has a basal dash that appears as a thin, black line that extends a short distance from the middle of the wing base.

Wingspan: 6-8 mm (Powell and Opler, 2009)

Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1972) has descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia. In this species the aedeagus lacks cornuti, unlike our other species of Scoparia.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented (Munroe, 1972). Given that this species is common and widespread, the absence of any host records suggests that it likely feeds on food resources other than the leaves of vascular plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Scoparia biplagialis is widely distributed in North America. It occurs in southern Alaska and throughout much of southern Canada from the Yukon and British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It is also widespread in the eastern US, and occurs in the West in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and all of the west-coast states. In the eastern US the range extends from Maine southward to northern Florida, and westward to Arkansas, Missouri, eastern Kansas, Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. This species is generally absent from much of the southeastern Coastal Plain. As of 2023, our records are almost all from the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, with two records from the western Coastal Plain.

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: The adults have been observed from April through October in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak typically from May through September. As of 2023, our records extend from early April through late-October, with one late-season record in mid-December. Local populations in North Carolina appear to have two or perhaps three overlapping generations per year.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Most of our records are from hardwood forests, and often from mesic habitats. We also have numerous records from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The larval host plants are unknown (Munroe, 1972). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are readily attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3S5]

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

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Scoparia biplagialis - Double-striped Scoparia

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

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-08-27 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-14 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06 Mitchell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-26 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-21 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-14 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-06-20 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-19 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-07 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-27 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Regina Patton on 2024-05-24 Jackson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-18 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-27 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-19 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-10-27 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-12 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-14 Macon Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23 Madison Co. Comment: