Moths of North Carolina
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Helvibotys Members:
12 NC Records

Helvibotys pucilla (Druce, 1895) - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: PyraustinaeP3 Number: 801461.00 MONA Number: 4984.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species is strikingly sexually dimorphic, with the males uniformly yellow and the females boldly marked with large black marks on a yellow or orange ground. In the males, the forewing is uniformly orange yellow above, with the costa narrowly margined with black on the underside of the wing. The head, body and legs are orangish-yellow, while the third segment of labial palp is contrastingly black. All of the tarsi are blackish fuscous. In the females, the head, thorax and forewing ground vary from orange to yellowish-orange. The forewing has a bold and broadly oval black patch at the base, and a broad black band that covers the apical third of the wing. The fringe is concolorous with the forewing ground. The abdomen is also concolorous with the forewing ground except for a conspicuous black tip. The hindwing is generally similar to the forewing, but lacks the basal patch.
Forewing Length: 8-10 mm (Munroe, 1976).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This species occurs from Costa Rica northward to Mexico and the United States. In the U.S., Helvibotys pucilla is found in eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and western Kentucky. Disjunct populations also occur in coastal habitats in North Carolina. As of 2023, almost all of our records are from Fort Macon State Park in Carteret County, with one additional record from New Hanover County.
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 in the primary range of this species typically fly from June through September, with one early season record in March. As of 2023, our records extend from mid-April through late-July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitat preferences are poorly documented. Our records include maritime forests.
Larval Host Plants: The larval host plants are apparently unknown (Munroe, 1976). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [SR]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1S2
State Protection:
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Helvibotys pucilla - No common name

Photos: 10

Recorded by: R. Newman; J.B. Sullivan on 2023-04-20
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-06-15
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-05-14
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-30
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-24
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-13
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-07-22
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-06-23
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-04-30
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-04-26
Carteret Co.
Comment: