Moths of North Carolina
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144 NC Records

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

Dicymolomia julianalis
view caption 		Dicymolomia julianalisDicymolomia julianalisDicymolomia julianalis
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, BOLDTechnical 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.
Dicymolomia julianalis
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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