Moths of North Carolina
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12 NC Records

Diathrausta reconditalis (Walker, 1859) - Recondite Webworm Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: PyraustinaeTribe: SpilomeliniP3 Number: 801276.00 MONA Number: 5174.00
Species Status: "Not sure these two [reconditalis and harlequinalis] are really different" (Scholtens, 2017)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Munroe (1956)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In this species the head, thorax, abdomen, and ground color of the forewings and hindwings are black. The forewing has a faint dull-yellow antemedial line that contrast with the white reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots. There is an off-white triangular mark on the costa and a faint dull-yellow line (often obscure or missing) that extends for a short distance from the inner margin near the middle of the wing. The fringe is white except for a sub-tornal black region and has a narrow black line at the base. The hindwing has a narrow white line that runs from below the tornus to a more prominent white discal spot. The fringe is similar to that of the forewing.

Diathrausta reconditalis is similar to D. harlequinalis but the white markings on both wings are smaller and less distinct than those on D. harlequinalis, at least for North Carolina specimens. Some specimens may not be distinguishable based on color and pattern and require dissection. Size is also helpful, with the wingspan being 16 mm or less in D. reconditalis and over 18-22 mm in D. harlequinalis (Munroe, 1956).
Wingspan: 15 mm (Munroe, 1956).
Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1956) has an illustration of the male genitalia and noted that the spine on the sacculus ventrad to the base of the clasper is much wider and less strongly acute in D. reconditalis than in D. harlequinalis.
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: Diathrausta reconditalis is found in eastern North America, including portions of southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec). In the U.S., it occurs from New Hampshire and Vermont southward to Florida, and westward to Mississippi, western Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Wisconsin, with a possible geographic isolate in western Oklahoma. This species occurs in all three physiographic provinces in North Carolina, but is relatively rare in the Coastal Plain.
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 from February through October in Florida, and mostly from June through September farther north. As of 2023, our records extend from early-June through late-September.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records are mostly from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, but also from intact mesic hardwood forests and a mountain bog.
Larval Host Plants: The plant hosts (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 [S2-S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is rather uncommon throughout its range, as is the case for North Carolina. We need additional information on the trophic ecology and habitat preferences of this species before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Diathrausta reconditalis - Recondite Webworm Moth

Photos: 12

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, John Petranka on 2023-08-05
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2021-09-23
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-02
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-30
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-08-25
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-08-25
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-29
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-29
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-29
Guilford Co.
Comment: