Moths of North Carolina

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Dicymolomia julianalis (Walker, 1859) - Julia's Dicymolomia

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Glaphyriinae

Tribe:
[Glaphyriini]

P3 Number:
80a1215

MONA Number:
4889.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Munroe (1972)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Munroe (1972)

Adult Markings: This is a distinctively marked and shaped moth with large eyes and rather complex patterning. Note the large whitish area in the median area that is peppered with darker scales, the rusty brown region on the apical two-thirds that shades to a lighter yellowish brown basally, and the single row of black dots on the outer margin of the hindwing. The following description is based in part on the descriptions by Forbes (1923) and Monroe (1972). The labial palp is upturned and has more or less rough hairs. The head is whitish above, and the antenna is light brown with obscure darker annulations. The thorax and base of the wings are more or less concolorous and interrupted by a white streak that extends backwards along the side of the thorax. One or two shorter and less conspicuous white streaks are usually evident between this streak and the costal margin. The forewing has a rusty brown region on the apical third and just before one-half the wing length. The two are interrupted by a broad zone of white that is heavily dusted with dark brown. The rusty brown region just before one-half shades into bright yellow to light yellowish brown towards the base. A region of black dusting is usually present near the apex on the costal third, and a whitish terminal line is usually evident at the wing tip. The hindwing is light colored on the inner half, with the median area dusted with black. There are two strong raised scale tufts, and a more or less distinct notch opposite the cell. Brilliant metallic scaling is present along the outer margin below the notch, and a single row of four black dots is present along the outer margin. The foreleg is white with brown banding, while the other legs are predominantly white.

Wingspan: 15-18 mm (Forbes, 1923).

Forewing Length: 7-9 mm; dwarfs sometimes only 5 mm (Munroe, 1972)

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

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Cattails appear to be the primary host species (Landau et al., 1995). Populations in New York are univoltine and the eggs are inserted singly into the cattail heads from mid-July through mid-August (Claassen, 1921). The larva spends the entire larval period inside the cattail head where it first feeds on the styles of the pistillate heads, and later works deeper into the head where it feeds on the seeds. Infected heads have fluffy material protruding from the surfaces that is tied together with silk to prevent it from blowing away. The larva either burrows into the axis of the flower spike and overwinters there, or remains in the fluffy material. Pupation occurs in June either in the axis of the spike or in the surrounding fluff. The full-grown larva is 7-10 mm long and has a dark head and a dark-brown prothoracic shield. The abdomen is uniformly pale duff and lacks conspicuous markings other than for a few brownish patches or spots on the final segment.

Other important food resources include the seed heads and seeds of Musk Thistle and the egg masses of bagworms (Powell et al., 1992; Landau et al., 1995).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Dicymolomia julianalis is found throughout much of the eastern US and adjoining areas of southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia). In the eastern US, the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, central Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota. In North Carolina, populations occur from the Coastal Plain westward to the lower elevations in the mountains.

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
Flight Comments: The adults are active nearly year-round in Florida, and mostly from April through November is other areas outside of North Carolina. As of 2023, our records extend from early April through early November. Populations in the southern portions of the range presumably have more than one generation per year. (Landau et al., 1995) reported that there are three generations per year in Tennessee. The flight season in North Carolina is rather long and presumably reflects two or more overlapping generations per year.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: In North Carolina, this species is associated with sites that support cattails such as farm ponds, ditches, and marshes.

Larval Host Plants: Broadleaf Cattail (Typha latifolia) appears to be the most widely used host, and is the only documented host in North Carolina as of 2023. Other species appear to serve as minor or secondary hosts (Monroe, 1972; Landau et al., 1996; Robinson et al., 2010). These include Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans), LeConte's Thistle (Cirsium lecontei), Canadian Milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis), a prickly-pear (Opuntia sp.), and a South American ornamental (Amaranthus caudatus). The larvae also have been found in dead bolls of cotton (Gossypium sp.) and have been observed feeding on clusters of bagworm eggs (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis). They also appears to function as endoparasitoids of larvae and pupae of bagworms (Powell et al., 1992). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. The larvae can be found by breaking apart cattail heads during the winter and spring months and searching for the larvae. The larvae of Limnaecia phragmitella are also often present in cattail heads, but can be easily distinguished by their striped abdomen.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Cattail and Tall Grass Marshes

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: This species appears to be secure given that is found statewide and its most common host (Typha) is widespread and common throughout the state.

Photo Gallery for Dicymolomia julianalis - Julia's Dicymolomia

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

	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-06 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-04-19 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-09-18 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-31 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-31 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-30 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-30 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-07-25 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-08 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-04 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-04 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-17 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-13 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-29 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-04-10 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-09 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-09 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-07 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-10-05 Durham Co. Comment: