Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Crambidae Members:
Achyra rantalis
Aethiophysa consimilis
Aethiophysa invisalis
Aethiophysa unidentified species
Agriphila ruricolellus
Agriphila vulgivagellus
Anageshna primordialis
Anania coronata complex
Anania extricalis
Anania funebris
Anania leuschneri
Anania mysippusalis
Anania plectilis
Anania tennesseensis
Anania tertialis
Anania unidentified species
Apogeshna stenialis
Arequipa turbatella
Argyria gonogramma
Argyria nummulalis
Argyria rufisignella
Ategumia ebulealis
Blepharomastix ranalis
Carectocultus dominicki
Carectocultus perstrialis
Catoptria latiradiellus
Chalcoela iphitalis
Chalcoela pegasalis
Chilo demotella
Chilo plejadellus
Choristostigma roseopennalis
Chrysendeton imitabilis
Chrysendeton medicinalis
Chrysoteuchia topiarius
Chrysoteuchia unidentified species
Colomychus talis
Conchylodes ovulalis
Condylorrhiza vestigialis
Crambini unidentified species
Crambus agitatellus
Crambus ainslieellus
Crambus albellus
Crambus braunellus
Crambus girardellus
Crambus laqueatellus
Crambus leachellus
Crambus multilinellus
Crambus pascuella
Crambus praefectellus
Crambus quinquareatus
Crambus saltuellus
Crambus sanfordellus
Crambus satrapellus
Crambus unidentified species
Crambus youngellus
Crocidophora pustuliferalis
Crocidophora serratissimalis
Crocidophora tuberculalis
Daulia magdalena
Desmia funeralis
Desmia maculalis
Desmia subdivisalis
Desmia unidentified species
Diacme adipaloides
Diacme elealis
Diacme unidentified species
Diaphania costata
Diaphania hyalinata
Diaphania nitidalis
Diasemiodes janassialis
Diasemiodes nigralis
Diasemiopsis leodocusalis
Diastictis argyralis
Diastictis baccatalis
Diastictis pseudargyralis
Diastictis unidentified species
Diastictis ventralis
Diathrausta harlequinalis
Diathrausta reconditalis
Diatraea crambidoides
Diatraea evanescens
Diatraea lisetta
Diatraea unidentified species
Dicymolomia julianalis
Donacaula aquilellus
Donacaula dispersellus
Donacaula longirostrallus
Donacaula maximellus
Donacaula melinellus
Donacaula nitidellus
Donacaula roscidellus
Donacaula sordidellus
Donacaula tripunctellus
Donacaula unidentified species
Donacaula unipunctellus
Duponchelia fovealis
Ecpyrrhorrhoe puralis
Elophila atlantica
Elophila faulalis
Elophila gyralis
Elophila icciusalis
Elophila nebulosalis
Elophila obliteralis
Elophila tinealis
Eoparargyractis irroratalis
Eoparargyractis plevie
Eoparargyractis unidentified species
Eoreuma densellus
Epina dichromella
Epipagis fenestralis
Euchromius ocellea
Eudonia alpina
Eudonia heterosalis
Eudonia strigalis
Eudonia unidentified species
Eulepte anticostalis
Eustixia pupula
Evergestis pallidata
Evergestis rimosalis
Evergestis unimacula
Fissicrambus mutabilis
Fissicrambus profanellus
Fissicrambus unidentified species
Framinghamia helvalis
Fumibotys fumalis
Geshna cannalis
Glaphyria basiflavalis
Glaphyria cappsi
Glaphyria fulminalis
Glaphyria glaphyralis
Glaphyria peremptalis
Glaphyria sesquistrialis
Glyphodes pyloalis
Glyphodes sibillalis
Hahncappsia mancalis
Hahncappsia marculenta
Hahncappsia neobliteralis
Hahncappsia neomarculenta
Hahncappsia unidentified species
Haimbachia albescens
Haimbachia placidellus
Haimbachia squamulellus
Hellula phidilealis
Hellula rogatalis
Helvibotys helvialis
Helvibotys pucilla
Herpetogramma aeglealis
Herpetogramma bipunctalis
Herpetogramma centrostrigalis
Herpetogramma fluctuosalis
Herpetogramma pertextalis
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
Herpetogramma sphingealis
Herpetogramma theseusalis
Herpetogramma thestealis
Herpetogramma unidentified species
Hymenia perspectalis
Leptosteges flavifascialis
Leptosteges vestaliella
Lineodes fontella
Lipocosma adelalis
Lipocosma septa
Lipocosma sicalis
Lipocosma unidentified species
Lipocosmodes fuliginosalis
Loxostege cereralis
Loxostege commixtalis
Loxostegopsis merrickalis
Lygropia rivulalis
Lygropia tripunctata
Marasmia cochrusalis
Marasmia trapezalis
Mesolia incertellus
Microcrambus biguttellus
Microcrambus elegans
Microcrambus kimballi
Microcrambus minor
Microcrambus new species
Microcrambus unidentified species
Microtheoris ophionalis
Mimoschinia rufofascialis
Nacoleia charesalis
Nascia acutellus
Neargyractis slossonalis
Neocataclysta magnificalis
Neodactria caliginosellus
Neodactria luteolellus
Neodactria new species
Neodactria unidentified species
Neodactria zeellus
Neohelvibotys neohelvialis
Neohelvibotys polingi
Neohelvibotys unidentified species
Nephrogramma reniculalis
Nomophila nearctica
Oenobotys vinotinctalis
Ostrinia multispinosa
Ostrinia nubilalis
Ostrinia obumbratalis
Ostrinia penitalis
Ostrinia unidentified species
Palpita aenescentalis
Palpita arsaltealis
Palpita freemanalis
Palpita illibalis
Palpita magniferalis
Palpita maritima
Palpita quadristigmalis
Palpita unidentified species
Pantographa limata
Parapediasia decorellus
Parapediasia teterrellus
Parapoynx allionealis
Parapoynx diminutalis
Parapoynx maculalis
Parapoynx obscuralis
Parapoynx seminealis
Patania silicalis
Pediasia trisecta
Perispasta caeculalis
Petrophila bifascialis
Petrophila canadensis
Petrophila fulicalis
Petrophila unidentified species
Phaedropsis stictigramma
Pilocrocis ramentalis
Polygrammodes flavidalis
Polygrammodes oxydalis
Prionapteryx achatina
Prionapteryx new species
Prionapteryx serpentella
Psara obscuralis
Pyrausta acrionalis
Pyrausta bicoloralis
Pyrausta demantrialis
Pyrausta fodinalis
Pyrausta generosa
Pyrausta homonymalis
Pyrausta inornatalis
Pyrausta inveterascalis
Pyrausta laticlavia
Pyrausta niveicilialis
Pyrausta orphisalis
Pyrausta phoenicealis
Pyrausta rubricalis
Pyrausta signatalis
Pyrausta subsequalis
Pyrausta tyralis
Pyraustinae unidentified species
Raphiptera argillaceellus
Rhectocraspeda periusalis
Rupela segrega
Rupela tinctella
Samea castellalis
Samea multiplicalis
Samea unidentified species
Saucrobotys futilalis
Scoparia basalis
Scoparia biplagialis
Scoparia cinereomedia
Scoparia dominicki
Scoparia penumbralis
Scoparia unidentified species
Sericoplaga externalis
Sitochroa palealis
Spoladea recurvalis
Syngamia florella
Terastia meticulosalis
Thaumatopsis edonis
Thaumatopsis floridella
Thopeutis forbesellus
Udea rubigalis
Undulambia striatalis
Uresiphita reversalis
Urola nivalis
Vaxi auratellus
Vaxi critica
Xanthophysa psychicalis
Xubida linearella
Xubida panalope
Xubida unidentified species
Achyra
Members:
Achyra rantalis
50 NC Records
Achyra rantalis
(Guenée, 1854) - Garden Webworm Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea
Family:
Crambidae
Subfamily:
Pyraustinae
Tribe:
Pyraustini
P3 Number:
80a0742
MONA Number:
4975.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Munroe (1976)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Capps (1967)
Adult Markings:
The following description is based mostly on those of Capps (1967) and Munroe (1976). The ground color of the forewing can be various shades of orange, brown or fuscous, with the marking slightly darker than the ground color. The reniform spot is conspicuous and much larger than the orbicular spot. The antemedial line is rather smooth and irregularly angulated, while the postmedial line is denticulate and bowed outward on the costal two-thirds. Both lines can be rather weak and diffuse. The post-medial line is often shaded on the outer margin with a thin line of lighter color, and the area between the postmedial line and the termen is often lighter than the general ground color. The terminal line is broken and consists of a line of 7-8 dark spots. The hindwing is often paler than the forewing and the postmedial line, if evident, is diffuse. Females are usually somewhat darker than the males and tend to have stronger markings.
Wingspan:
17 -23 mm (Capps, 1967)
Forewing Length:
9-10 mm (Powell and Opler, 2009).
Adult Structural Features:
Capps (1967) has descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
The larvae feed on numerous species, including many cultivated plants. The following is a summary of the life history based on Smith and Franklin’s (1954) studies in alfalfa fields in Kansas. The larvae web together the terminal leaves of the main stems and lateral branches to form nests, then feed internally on the leaves. Females deposit their eggs in flat scale-like masses of up to 37 eggs. The hatchlings feed together during the first instar, then disperse to the tops of plants and web together leaves to make nests. The first two instars skeletonize the leaves, while the latter instars consume entire leaves and produce copious amounts of black frass that clings to the webbing. The larvae pass through six instars. When fully grown, they drop to the ground and spin silk cocoons that extend vertically or nearly so just below the surface of the soil. The brownish pupal cases are around 12-13 mm long and are thin, flat, and nearly transparent. They have an open end that faces towards the soil surface that allows the adult to emerge. The pupal stage lasts around 10 days, and the adult crawl up plants soon after they emerge and dry their wings. In Kansas, populations passed through three generations and overwintered as pupae.
The final instar larvae are around 24-25 mm long. The body ground color varies from greenish to brown or nearly black, and there is a narrow mid-dorsal stripe. The head is pale and has netlike amber markings and a fuscous patch on each side at the incision of the posterior margin. The prothoracic shield has two dark bars on each side. The pinacula appear as bold, black spots above the level of the spiracles, while those below the spiracles have pale centers and appear ring-like (or Capps, 1967; Munroe, 1976). Each body segment has three black spots on each side that are arranged in a triangular pattern.
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
This is a very wide-ranging species that is found in almost every state in the conterminous U.S. except Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana, as well as in Canada (Ontario; Quebec; Nova Scotia), the West Indies and Mexico. As of 2023, all of our records are from 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
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:
As of 2023, we have records from late-March through late-September. Populations in the Coastal Plain are bivoltine, but those in other states such as Kansas and Oklahome can have 3-5 generations per year (Smith and Franklin, 1954) .
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Local populations are commonly found around crop fields, home gardens, road corridors and other disturbed settings.
Larval Host Plants:
The larvae are polyphagous and feed on both cultivated and non-cultivated plants (Smith and Franklin (1954), Capps, 1967; Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010). They commonly feed on garden vegetables and cultivated crops such as alfalfa, amaranths, beans, black-eyed peas, clover, corn, cotton, cowpeas, radishes, soybeans, strawberries, sunflowers, sugar beets and Swiss chard. Other hosts include pigweeds (
Amaranthus
), Giant Ragweed (
Ambrosia trifida
), Common Ragweed (
A. artemisiifolia
), Spearscale Orache (
Atriplex patula
), Turtleweed (
Batis maritima
), Lambsquarter (
Chenopodium album
), guayule (
Parthenium argentatum
), smartweeds (
Polygonum
), roses (
Rosa
), docks (
Rumex
), sea-purslane (
Sesuvium
), thistles and undoubtedly many other kinds of weeds. -
View
Observation Methods:
The adults are attracted to lights, and the larvae are commonly found in vegetable garden and commercial field crops.
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:
This wide-ranging species is common in the eastern half of the state and appears to be secure, in part due to its use of cultivated and weedy plants as a food source.
Photo Gallery for
Achyra rantalis
- Garden Webworm Moth
46 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-31
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2024-08-29
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2024-08-29
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-09
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-07-11
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-06-21
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-07
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-25
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-09
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-30
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-09-06
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-31
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-22
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-17
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-07-28
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-26
Greene Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-25
Greene Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2022-07-11
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-05-17
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-29
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-04-14
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael P. Moralesm on 2021-08-26
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael P. Moralesm on 2021-08-26
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-02
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-27
Wake Co.
Comment: