Moths of North Carolina

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Pyrausta laticlavia (Grote & Robinson, 1867) - Southern Purple Mint Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Pyraustinae

Tribe:
Pyraustini

P3 Number:
80a0839

MONA Number:
5070.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Munroe (1976)

Adult Markings: This is a distinctly marked species with contrasting pink and yellow regions on the forewing. The ground color of the forewing varies from bright pink to reddish-pink and is overlain with three yellow marks. These include a triangular patch that covers all of the basal third of the wing except for the costa, a prominent postmedial band at around four-fifths the wing length, and a subcostal spot between the two. The hindwing is variable and can be either pinkish fuscous or fuscous with a yellow postmedial fascia, or yellow with a pinkish or fuscous terminal band (Munroe, 1976). The variety cinerosa is uncommon and deviates from the typical pattern above by having the yellow and pink areas masked by heavy brown dusting.

Forewing Length: 7-11 mm (Munroe, 1976).

Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1976) has detailed descriptions of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Very little is known about the host plants and larval life history. Bo Sullivan recently reared two adults from larvae that were feeding on Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) in Fort Macon State Park. The larvae webbed together the upper branches, leaves and flower heads and then fed inside the web. The late instar larvae were light greenish-red with a mid-dorsal stripe that was margined with white on either side. The pinacula above the spiracles were black and faintly edged with white, with the subdorsal row conspicuously larger than the rest. The head and prothoracic shield were amber with darker reticulations above.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Pyrausta laticlavia is widely distributed over the U.S., including California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado in the West. In the eastern U.S. it occurs from Maine and New York southward to southern Florida, and westward to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois and Michigan. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont.

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: The adults fly year-round in southern localities like Florida, Texas and California, and mostly from April through October farther north. As of 2023, our records extend from mid-February through mid-October.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are typically found in open habitats that support members of the mint family. On the coast they are associated with sandy, open habitats.

Larval Host Plants: The native host plants are poorly documented but are thought to be members of the mint family. There is one rearing record for Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) from California where P. laticlavia has been introduced. In North Carolina, Bo Sullivan reared two adults from larvae in Carteret Co. that were feeding on Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are diurnally active and are often seen either resting in the open on vegetation or nectaring on low-growing plants. The are also attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3-S4]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: More information is needed on host plants, preferred habitats and abundance before we can accurately assess the conservation status of this species in North Carolina.

Photo Gallery for Pyrausta laticlavia - Southern Purple Mint Moth

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

	Recorded by: Cami Gregg on 2025-10-05 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-10-04 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-09-23 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-09-06 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-28 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-07-20 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-09-13 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-09-02 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-01 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Clark D. Tew on 2024-08-29 Iredell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Clark D. Tew on 2024-08-29 Iredell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Clark D. Tew on 2024-08-29 Iredell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-14 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-14 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-11 Pender Co. Comment:		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2023-09-19 Carteret Co. Comment: Larvae on 2023-09-19 (13 mm) in flower heads of Monarda punctata; two adults emerged on 2023-09-27
	Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2023-09-19 Carteret Co. Comment: Larvae on 2023-09-19 (13 mm) in flower heads of Monarda punctata; two adults emerged on 2023-09-27		Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2023-08-19 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Salman Abdulali on 2023-08-12 Pitt Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-24 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-07-22 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-02-20 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-10-01 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-09-21 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-18 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2021-10-10 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-09-24 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2021-09-02 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-04-06 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Morganne Bowers on 2020-09-13 Onslow Co. Comment: