Moths of North Carolina
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34 NC Records

Chalcoela pegasalis (Walker, 1859) - Wasp Parasitizer Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: GlaphyriinaeTribe: [Glaphyriini]P3 Number: 801070.00 MONA Number: 4896.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923); Munroe (1972)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Sourakov (2022)                                                                                  
Adult Markings: This is a distinctively marked species and can be readily identified based on the forewing and hindwing patterning. The following is based in part on the descriptions by Forbes (1923) and Munroe (1972). The ground of the forewing is chocolate brown and is most evident on the basal third, the apical area and the tornal area. The antemedial line is slightly wavy and outwardly convex, while the postmedial line is broadly angulated outwardly on the costal third. Both lines are white and distinct, with the area between them heavily frosted with light gray to whitish scales. Heavy frosting is also present between the middle of the postmedial line and the terminal line, and a white crescent mark is present just before the apex. The hindwing is more evenly frosted with light gray to whitish scales and has a series of staggered black dots along the middle of the wing margin. These are preceded by a whitish subterminal bar.

Dicymolomia julianalis is generally similar, but has poorly defined antemedial and postmedial lines, along with a light yellowish-brown basal region.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae specialize on Polistes wasps and feed on the developing immature wasps in the nests. Rabb (1960) found that they exploited several species of Polistes wasps in North Carolina. Females visit the nests at night and lay eggs directly on the larvae or pupae. The larvae feed as parasitoids on the developing wasps, and pupation occurred within a whitish, silken cocoon within the wasp cells. The larvae spin webbing across the top of the cells and the adults emerge from holes cut through the webbing. Sourakov (2022) recently successfully reared numerous adults from two Polistes nests in Florida. He surmised that this and perhaps other Chalcoela may actually be predators rather than parasitoids based on the presence of frass and silk tunnels in the cells. The nests also yielded numerous adults of Niditinea orleansella.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: The range of C. pegasalis is centered on the southeastern U.S. and extends from Delaware and northern Virginia southward to southern Florida. It extends westward to Mississippi, Louisiana, western Tennessee, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. Populations are also known from several Carribean islands. In North Carolina, this species occurs from coastal regions to the lower elevations in the Blue Ridge. It is spottily distributed depending on the presence of Polistes wasps.
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 March through November in Florida, and mostly from April through October in other areas of the range. As of 2023, our records are from late-April through mid-September. Local populations appear to produce two or more broods per year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are located in the vicinity of nesting Polistes wasps. These commonly use the eaves of structures such as homes, buildings and barns.
Larval Host Plants: None. Larvae are parasites of the paper wasp larvae (Beadle & Leckie, 2018). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in paper wasp nests during the summer months.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species exploits the nests of paper wasps and its distribution is limited by the presence of the wasps.

 Photo Gallery for Chalcoela pegasalis - Wasp Parasitizer Moth

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

Recorded by: Travis McLain on 2023-08-01
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-12
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-07-17
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2022-06-12
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-08-29
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2021-08-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-21
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-15
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2021-06-11
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-17
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-16
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-11
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-10
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-10
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2020-08-19
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-06-19
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2020-05-16
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-09-12
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-09
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-20
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-08-28
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-08-18
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Amanda Auxier on 2017-04-28
Pender Co.
Comment: