Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Crambidae Members:	Glaphyria Members:	95 NC Records

Glaphyria sesquistrialis Hübner, 1823 - White-roped Glaphyria

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Glaphyriinae

Tribe:
[Glaphyriini]

P3 Number:
80a1175

MONA Number:
4870.00

MONA Synonym:
Glaphyria sequistrialis

Comments: The genus Glaphyria contains nine described species that are found in the New World from Canada southward to Brazil. The U.S. has seven species, with six occurring in North Carolina. They are all small moths that characteristically posture with the forelegs projecting forward. The larval life histories of all of our species are undocumented.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Munroe (1972)

Adult Markings: The ground color of the forewing is ocherous-yellow and is overlain with white lines and spots that have distinct brown edging (Forbes, 1923). The basal third of the wing has a series of poorly organized white lines and spots, while the antemedian line is distinct and waved. The postmedian line is sinuous on the dorsal half, then curved outward before angling obliquely to the costa. The black terminal line is distinct but broken, with the black spots preceded by white spots. The fringe is evenly ocherous-yellow and concolorous with the ground color.

Glaphyria glaphyralis is generally similar, but is lighter, lacks brown edging on the lines, and has white spotting in place of a broken, black terminal line. Aethiophysa invisalis is also similar, but the terminal dots are obscure and the fringe is two-toned, with the outer half pure white.

Forewing Length: 7.0-8.5 mm (Munroe, 1972)

Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1972) has descriptions of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

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: Glaphyria sesquistrialis is widely distributed across the eastern US, with the range extending from Maine and Massachusetts westward across the Great Lakes states to southern Minnesota and eastern Nebraska. From there, the range extends southward to Oklahoma, central and eastern Texas, the Gulf Coast states and Florida. Populations also occur in Ontario and Quebec. We have records from all three physiographic regions, but far fewer from the Blue Ridge than the Piedmont and 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 nearly year-round in Florida and Texas, but mostly fly from May through October elsewhere. As of 2023, our records extend from mid-May through mid-October. Local populations in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont appear to be bivoltine, while those in the Blue Ridge probably produce a single brood annually.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records are from both xeric and mesic sites, including maritime communities, xeric Sandhill pinelands, residential neighborhoods, and mixed pine-hardwood forests.

Larval Host Plants: In spite of being a common species, the hosts are poorly documented. Heppner (2007) lists Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), but this requires verification. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5

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

Comments: Glaphyria sequistrialis is common and widespread in the state and appears to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Glaphyria sesquistrialis - White-roped Glaphyria

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-30 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-07-02 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jim Petranka on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-06-26 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-10 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-06-03 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-11 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-04 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-07 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-23 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-04 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-16 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-14 Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-11 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-06-07 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-05-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-21 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-11 Pender Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-09 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-09 Pender Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-07 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-14 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-14 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-07 Polk Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-09-01 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-08-23 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-21 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21 New Hanover Co. Comment: