Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFCrambidae Members: Diaphania Members: 74 NC Records

Diaphania nitidalis (Stoll, 1781) - Pickleworm Moth

Diaphania nitidalis
view caption 		Diaphania nitidalis
view caption 		Diaphania nitidalisDiaphania nitidalis
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Crambidae		Subfamily:
Pyraustinae		Tribe:
Spilomelini		P3 Number:
80a0954		 MONA Number:
5202.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Immature Stages: Capinera (2000)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species has a reddish-brown ground color on the forewing that is overlain with a large, irregular, dull-yellowish blotch that often appears semitransparent. The only other marks are two small dull-yellow dots along the inner margin at around one-fifth and three-fifths the wing length. The hindwing has the dorsal two-thirds concolorous with the forewing blotch, with a small black dot in the middle, while the outer third is reddish-brown and matches the ground color of the forewing. A prominent anal brush is present on both sexes.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The following life history account is based on that of Smith (1911) and Capinera (2000). The females lay small clusters with 2-7 eggs on the flowers, buds, and other actively growing portions of squash or other cucurbits. The eggs hatch in about 4 days and the young larvae often feed on the large flowers of squash or other hosts. The older larvae may either continue feeding on the flowers or burrow into the fruits. When all blossoms and fruit have been destroyed, larvae will attack the vines, especially the apical meristem. The larvae pass through five instars that last around two weeks, then commonly pupate in a leaf fold that is often made with dead, dry material. Pupation occurs beneath a few strands of protective silk. The adults typically emerge after 8-9 days, with the entire period from egg to adult requiring about a month. Local populations often pass through 2-4 overlapping generations per year depending on the latitude. The young larvae are translucent green with rows of black pinacula and an amber-colored head. After the fourth instar, the black pinacula are lost.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This is a tropical species that cannot survive significant freezing winter temperatures. It overwinters successfully in southern Florida and southern Texas, then undergoes major dispersal events northward to invade much of the Southeast each summer. The moths commonly disperse as far as the New England states, and can be found statewide in North Carolina where they often become significant pests on summer squash and other cucurbit vegetables (Capinera, 2000).
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Diaphania nitidalisAlamance 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.
Immature 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: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species is commonly found in agricultural fields and vegetable gardens where cucurbits are grown. They also are found where local patches of Creeping Cucumber are found along edge habitats.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae specialize of members of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), including winter and summer squashes, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkins (Capinera 2000, Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010). Creeping Cucumber (Melothria pendula) is an important native species that is used, while Wild Balsam Apple (Mormordica chorantia) is of questionable significance. In North Carolina, Ken Kneidel reared a larva from a cucumber. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This subtropical species is common and widespread in North Carolina after dispersal events from Florida, but is not capable of establishing permanent breeding populations due to its freeze intolerance.

 Photo Gallery for Diaphania nitidalis - Pickleworm Moth

 63 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-10-21
Halifax Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-10-21
Halifax Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-10-13
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-10-04
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-09-19
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson, Randy Emmitt on 2025-08-23
Orange Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-10-08
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-04
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-09-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: An adult that ws reared from a larva found in a cucumber on 9/1.		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-09-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: An adult that ws reared from a larva found in a cucumber on 9/1.
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-09-01
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-09-01
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-09-01
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-08-31
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-11-05
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-10-06
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Ivanna Knox, Marietta Shattelroe and Avery Young on 2023-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-09-11
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Anne Bailey on 2022-11-28
Alamance Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-11-06
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2022-11-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-10-04
Durham Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-09-29
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-26
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-14
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-09-04
Wake Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-02
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-09
Wake Co.
Comment:
Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-11-20
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Diaphania nitidalis
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-11-05
Onslow Co.
Comment: