Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFCrambidae Members: Pyrausta Members: 122 NC Records

Pyrausta acrionalis (Walker, 1859) - Mint-loving Pyrausta

Pyrausta acrionalisPyrausta acrionalisPyrausta acrionalisPyrausta acrionalis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Crambidae		Subfamily:
Pyraustinae		Tribe:
Pyraustini		P3 Number:
80a0840		 MONA Number:
5071.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Munroe (1976)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on those of Forbes (1923) and Munroe (1976). The forewing ground color varies from rose to reddish brown or dark brown. The ground is overlain with yellowish patches and spots that are concentrated in the middle third of the wing. The orbicular and reniform spots are a shade darker than the ground, and the antemedial and postmedial lines are the same color as the ground. The antemedial is often partially obliterated by the rose or brown shading. The postmedial line dissects a large yellow patch along the inner margin at around two-thirds the wing length, and is excurved on the costal half. The terminal fifth of the wing beyond the postmedial line lacks any yellow marks except for a narrow yellow terminal line and a conspicuous yellow fringe. The costa is uniformly colored like the ground except for the subapical area where is often phases into yellow. The hindwing is grayish fuscous and often lighter near the base, with a short, straight, narrow, yellowish-buff postmedial line and a buff fringe.
Forewing Length: 6-7 mm (Munroe, 1976).
Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1976) has descriptions of the male and female genitalia.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Pyrausta acrionalis is a common species that occurs across most of the eastern U.S. and portions of southeastern Canada from Ontario eastward to Nova Scotia. In the U.S. the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. It is generally uncommon along the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Virginia to Georgia. In North Carolina this species is common in the Piedmont and lower elevations in the Blue Ridge, and uncommon in the Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Pyrausta acrionalisAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: The adults are active year-round in southern states such as Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, and mostly from April through October farther north. As of 2023, our records range from mid-February to early November, with local populations appearing to produce two or more overlapping generations each year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are poorly documented. Covell (1984) listed a mint (Mentha sp.) that was presumably based on a museum specimen, but we are unaware of any verification of this. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and are occasionally seen nectaring on wildflowers.
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 species is common in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont and appears to be secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Pyrausta acrionalis - Mint-loving Pyrausta

 84 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-14
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish, Randy Emmitt on 2025-08-12
Alamance Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-10
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2025-08-08
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-31
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: David George, Dale Morgan, Patrick Coin, Julie Tuttle, Becky Watkins, et al. on 2025-07-26
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-07-23
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-27
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-22
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-09
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-31
Madison Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-26
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-01
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-14
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-28
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-10
Person Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2023-07-08
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-04-13
Durham Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2023-04-11
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-04-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2023-02-16
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-11-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-10-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2022-09-18
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-09-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-09-01
Graham Co.
Comment:
Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
Comment: 		Pyrausta acrionalis
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-15
Avery Co.
Comment: