Moths of North Carolina

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Glyphodes pyloalis Walker, 1859 - Beautiful Glyphodes

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Pyraustinae

Tribe:
Spilomelini

P3 Number:
80a0963

MONA Number:
5197.00

Other Common Name:
Lesser Mulberry Snout

Comments: This wide-ranging species may be part of a species complex based on BOLD data for Asian groups, but detailed studies are needed to draw meaningful conclusions. Populations in North America are presumed to be native.

Species Status: Glyphodes pyloalis is a serious pest on mulberry trees in India, China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Burma. It often shares trees with silk moth larvae, which can die from consuming the frass. The frass can either be a vehicle for the transmission of viral diseases or cause severe constipation that kills the silk moth larvae (Khosravi and Sendi, 2010).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Adult Markings: This is a distinctly marked moth that has silvery white wings that are overlain with orangish bands that are finely margined with black. The forewing has two oblique basal bands that extend outward from the costa to the inner margin, along with a small orbicular and larger reniform spot that is often lighter in the middle. The reniform often joins a hollow circular mark with a black dot in the middle to form a key-hole like mark. A broadly wavy postmedial band is present beyond this that extends from the subapical region of the costa to the inner margin. The subterminal region is shaded with orange and has a blackish inner margin that becomes dentate near the costa. The termen has a thin black marginal line that adjoins the fringe that is darker along the base. The hindwing is silvery white except for the terminal third that has an orange wash that is margined with a bold black line. The orange zone has a patch of black dusting near the apex and tornus, and the marginal line and fringe are the same as those on the forewing.

Glyphodes pyloalis is generally similar to G. sibillalis, but the latter is duller overall, and the postmedial and median bands are greatly expanded at the costa to encircle an oval white region.

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on the foliage of mulberries, and perhaps on rare occasion on other species. Females lay eggs on the leaves and the young larvae initially skeletonize the underside of leaves beneath a thin layer of silk threads. Older larvae that Gary Maness found in North Carolina either folded individual White Mulberry leaves together or tied two leaves together to form a shelter. Khosravi and Sendi (2010) grew larvae in Iran on mulberry leaves under controlled conditions in the laboratory (24 C; 75% relative humidity) and found the time from egg to adult emergence was averaged 34 days. There were five larval instars in addition to a prepupae and pupae.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Glyphodes pyloalis is found in the Middle East eastward through southeastern Asia and Malaysia. It also occurs in the southeastern U.S. from New Jersey and Maryland southward to southern Florida and westward to southeastern Texas. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Coastal Plain and Piedmont except for one record from the foothills of the Blue Ridge.

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 have been found from March through November in Florida and from May through September farther north. As of 2023, our records range from early-April through late-September. Local populations in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont appear to produce at least two generations per year.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally found where mulberries are present, including mesic woods and residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed primarily on mulberries (Morus spp.), and are considered pests in mulberry plantations that are used to grow silkworms (Wikipedia, accessed 2022-09-16). Records also exist for willow and fig (Robinson et al., 2010). In North Carolina, our only feeding records are for White Mulberry (M. alba) and Red Mulberry (M. rubra). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in folded leaves on mulberries.

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: This species is fairly common in North Carolina and appears to be relatively secure due to the widespread occurrence of the host plants.

Photo Gallery for Glyphodes pyloalis - Beautiful Glyphodes

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

	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-07-04 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jessica Bridges on 2025-06-20 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-13 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-12 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-26 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-05 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-12 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-12 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-08-21 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-15 Polk Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-05-20 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-09-24 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-09-02 Carteret Co. Comment: Caterpillar feeding on Red Mulberry.		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-01 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-11 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-09 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-21 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-05-18 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-21 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-02 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-25 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-15 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-25 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-08-21 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-21 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-08-18 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-05-24 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-05-21 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-21 Guilford Co. Comment: