Moths of North Carolina
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Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFCrambidae Members: Diastictis Members: 28 NC Records

Diastictis baccatalis (Hulst, 1892) - No Common Name

Diastictis baccatalisDiastictis baccatalisDiastictis baccatalisDiastictis baccatalis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Crambidae		Subfamily:
Spilomelinae		P3 Number:
80a0924		 MONA Number:
5152.00		 MONA Synonym:
Samea baccatalis
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Hulst (1886)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Diastictis baccatalis is a distinctively marked species that has dull golden-yellow forewings with conspicuous white spotting. The following is based in part on the original description by Hulst (1886). The head, thorax, and ground color of the forewings are all dull golden-yellow, but sometimes dusted with fuscous. The forewing has three sets of dull white spots (basal; medial; postmedial) that are all edged with black. The black edging is most prominent on the outer and inner sides, in part due to the black antemedial and postmedial lines that adjoin certain spots, particularly in the postmedial region. The spots include a basal pair of similar size that are on the costal half of the wing, a middle pair with the costal spot noticeably smaller that the dorsal spot, and a postmedial group that consists of a relatively large quadrate spot in the subcostal region. It is followed dorsally by two small cone-shaped spots near the middle of the wing, and a final medium-sized spot just beyond these. The black postmedial line runs along the apical side of the first spot and the basal side of the two conical spots. The fringe is dull yellow with a line of diffuse dark spots near the base. The hindwing is mostly white, but with a golden-yellow wash in the subterminal region. The black antemedial and postmedial lines are similar to those on the forewing, and contrast sharply with the lighter ground color.
Wingspan: 22-24 mm (Hulst, 1886).
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: This species is restricted to the southeastern U.S. where it occurs from North Carolina southward to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas and central Oklahoma. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Coastal Plain and Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Diastictis baccatalisAlamance 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 from March through December in the southernmost locales such as Florida and Texas, and from April through October farther north. As of 2023, our records are from late-April through early-October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species frequents open habitats such as Long-leaf Pine forests, field edges, old fields and residential neighborhoods.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts (if any) have not been documented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3-S4]
State Protection:
Comments: This species appears to be reasonably secure given that it has a large range and frequents disturbed or open habitats.

 Photo Gallery for Diastictis baccatalis - None

Photos: 27
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-25
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-12
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-08
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-27
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-17
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Kaitlyn Elliott on 2025-08-16
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-29
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-28
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-07
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-12
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-04-29
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-26
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-26
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-26
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-01
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2022-09-19
Orange Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-07-23
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-08-22
Durham Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-10
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-08-08
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-08-08
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-08-08
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-19
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-10-03
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2019-09-15
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2018-08-24
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Diastictis baccatalis
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2014-09-14
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: