Moths of North Carolina
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Helvibotys Members:
8 NC Records

Helvibotys helvialis (Walker, 1859) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: PyraustinaeTribe: PyraustiniP3 Number: 801457.00 MONA Number: 4980.00
Species Status: "I dissect these for ID" (Scholtens, 2017)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Capps (1967); Munroe (1976)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Allyson (1981)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is mostly based on that of Capps (1967). The forewing is pale yellow and somewhat shiny, while the reniform spot, discal dot, the two transverse lines, and the area along the costa are all darker and vary from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown. The antemedial line is gently curved outward, while the postmedial line is gently bowed outward on the costal half of the wing, then curves back so that it is nearly perpendicular to the inner margin. The subterminal line is absent on this species. The ground color of the hindwing is similar to that of forewing but paler from the cell to the costa. The postmedial line is weakly curved and restricted to the middle of the wing, and the subterminal line is absent. The fringe of both the forewing and hindwing is concolorous with ground color of the wings.

This species is very similar to our Neohelvibotys species and usually requires dissection for identification. If a specimen is in good condition, the coloration along the outer margin of the forewing and hindwing is helpful in separating N. neohelvialis from Helvibotys helvialis. In the former, it is concolorous with the markings of the wings and in the latter, concolorous with the ground color of the wings (Capps, 1967).
Wingspan: Males 18-20 mm; females 16-20 mm (Capps, 1967).
Forewing Length: 10 mm (Munroe, 1976)
Adult Structural Features: Capps (1967) has illustrations and descriptions of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is largely undocumented and the reported host plants appear to be mostly from museum records. The body of the late-instar larvae is whitish and the head is pale with amber spots. The prothoracic shield is pale, with weak pale-amber, mid-dorsal markings and with the ventral margin dark. The pinacula of SD of the mesothorax, metathorax, and abdominal segments 1-8 are darker than the pinacula that are dorsal or ventral to them (Allyson, 1981).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Helvibotys helvialis is found throughout much of the eastern U.S. and adjoining areas of southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec). In the U.S. the range extends from Maine southward to southern Florida and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, eastern Nebraska and Illinois. As of 2023, we have only three site records and all are from the 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 fly from March to October in different areas of the range (Capps, 1967). As of 2023, our very sparse records are from late-May and late-July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records are all from xeric communities in the Coastal Plain.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are rather poorly documented but include Amaranthus, beets (Beta vulgaris), cotton (Gossypium) and a goldenrod (Solidago; Capps, 1967; Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: We currently do not have sufficient information on the abundance, distribution, and habitat requirements of this species to accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Helvibotys helvialis - No common name

Photos: 3

Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan, and Steve Hall on 2022-07-24
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan, and Steve Hall on 2022-07-24
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-24
Carteret Co.
Comment: