Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Crambidae Members:	Diacme Members:	176 NC Records

Diacme adipaloides (Grote & Robinson, 1867) - Darker Diacme

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Pyraustinae

Tribe:
Spilomelini

P3 Number:
80a1075

MONA Number:
5143.00

Other Common Name:
Dark Diacme

Species Status: "There seems to be a great deal of confusion over these two species [elealis and adipaloides]. We desperately need to check the types to see what each name applies to. I think there are warm and cold season forms of each" (Scholtens, 2017).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Adult Markings: The Paler Diacme (Diacme elealis) and the Darker Diacme (D. adipaloides) are two closely related species that occur in North Carolina and are very similar in size and external markings. Diacme adipaloides generally appears somewhat darker overall, but light-colored forms are common, and the general shade of the forewing and abdomen is not useful in separating the species. Both species typically rest with the forewings spread to reveal a broad, brownish to purplish-brown subterminal band on both the forewing and hindwing. The remainder of the wing surfaces consist of a light caramel-colored to yellowish ground that is overlain with a series of dark brown to purplish brown lines, along with two dark, rectangular patches on the forewing that extend inward from the costa. The first patch occurs just before the middle of the costa and is followed by a shorter one that occurs just beyond the middle. The costa can vary from various shades of brown to brownish yellow along its length, or be solid brown on the more darkly shaded individuals. Dark-shaded individuals often have the veins shaded with brown to produce localized, reticulated patterning. This tends to be most prevalent on the apical third of the forewing.

A recent study (see BugGuide) found a mark that appears to be diagnostic for separating the two species based on verification with barcoded specimens. It consists of a short, inwardly curved, basal line on the hindwing that is only present on D. adipaloides. When viewing a resting individual from above, the line appears to originate at abdominal segment two (see image above). This mark may be masked in very darkly shaded individuals, and can be faint in light colored individuals. Here, we consider the presence of this mark to be diagnostic for D. adipaloides. A less reliable feature is that the lines that cross both wings tend to be narrower and often broken in D. elealis, with the ones on the basal half of the hindwing represented as two dark spots. In addition, the basal area of the forewing is typically yellowish in D. elealis versus being dusted with brownish scales in D. adipaloides

Wingspan: 20 mm (Forbes, 1923).

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Diacme adipaloides occurs throughout most of the eastern U.S. and in Canada where it has been documented in the Northwest Territories, and from British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia. In the U.S. it occurs from Maine southward to southern Florida and westward to Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.

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 year-round in Florida, Alabama and Texas and mostly from March through October farther north. As of 2023, our records range from early-February through mid-October. Local populations in North Carolina and most other areas of the range appear to be multivoltine.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This species uses a wide range of habitats in North Carolina, including coastal scrub and dune communities, xeric sandhill communities, semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, and mesic hardwood forests in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.

Larval Host Plants: The larval host plants (if any) are undocumented. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S4-S5]

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

Comments: This is common and widespread species that appears to be secure in North Carolina.

Photo Gallery for Diacme adipaloides - Darker Diacme

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-02 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-09-19 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-18 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-03 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-25 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-28 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-26 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-21 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-10 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-04 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-19 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-17 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-11 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-15 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-02 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-30 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-29 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-14 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-28 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-05 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-25 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-22 Orange Co. Comment: