Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Crambidae Members:	Diaphania Members:	99 NC Records

Diaphania costata (Fabricius, 1775) - Orange-shouldered Sherbet Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Spilomelinae

P3 Number:
80a0962

MONA Number:
5216.00

Comments: Information based primarily on molecular data and/or genitalia indicate that the genus that this species currently is assigned to is misapplied, but the correct genus to which it should be assigned has not been determined by experts. The genus name is sometimes placed in quotation marks ("Diaphania" costata) to indicate the misapplied name.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Hayden et al. (2017)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Hayden et al., (2017)

Adult Markings: Diaphania costata and Palpita quadristigmalis are two very similar species with semitranslucent, satiny white wings that have a brown to brownish-orange costa. The latter is best distinguished by the presence of four black dots on the forewing, including three along the costa before the middle of the wing, and a fourth at the lower, outer corner of the discal cell near the middle of the wing. Diaphania costata either lacks all of the dots, or has a single obscure dot on the discal cell. Palpita quadristigmalis also has a discal dot on the hindwing that is not present on D. costata.

Forewing Length: 11.0–15.0 mm (Hayden et al., 2017).

Adult Structural Features: Hayden et al. (2017) have descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia as well as comparisons with closely related species. They note that the male forewing has a large androconial hair pencil on the ventral side of the costa.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Hayden et al. (2017) observed larvae feeding on Greater Periwinkle (Vinca major) in Georgia. The larvae most commonly folded the leaves along their midribs and bound them with silk, then fed on the epidermis from within the leaf fold. Once the epidermal tissue was consumed, the larva moved to a new leaf, folded it, and fed as described before. This continued until the final instar pupated either within a fold or on the ground. They sometimes also tied overlapping leaves together and fed from within. Severe infestations resulted in almost all leaves eventually browning and becoming crumpled and withered.

The mature larvae are 17–20 mm long with translucent pale bodies, numerous pairs of elongated pinacula along the dorsum, and more circular pinacula along the sides (Hayden et al., 2017). The head is pale brownish yellow and unmottled, with a dark brown genal streak that extends dorsad along the posterior margin of the head capsule. The prothoracic shield is brownish yellow, with brown on the lateral and posterior margins, and with a pair of diffuse sublateral spots.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: This species has tropical and subtropical affinities and has recently expanded its range into the southeastern U.S. It is uncertain if this reflects an introduction or a natural dispersal event from Central America or the Caribbean. The oldest records are from Louisiana and Texas around 1979-1980, and it has since colonized most of the southeastern U.S., perhaps in response to the widespread planting and escape of Vinca species as ornamentals (Hayden et al., 2017). Diaphania costata is currently found from Maryland and Virginia westward to Oklahoma, and southward to southern Texas, the Gulf Coast states, northern Florida and Georgia. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, with the oldest record dating to 2005.

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: Diaphania costata appears to have multiple broods in the Southeast, beginning in May and continuing through November (Hayden et al., 2017). As of 2023, our records extend from late-May through mid-November.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Most of our records come from residential neighborhoods where Vinca is widely planted.

Larval Host Plants: The only reported hosts are members of the Apocynaceae. The larvae used several genera in the tropics and West Indies, including Rauvolfia spp. and Stemmadenia spp. (Hayden et al., 2017). The only reported host in North America are Greater Periwinkle (Vinca major) and Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana). We have at least two North Carolina rearing records for Eastern Bluestar and one for Greater Periwinkle. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to UV-lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] SE

State Protection:

Comments: This tropical and subtropical species recently expanded its range into the southeastern U.S., but it is uncertain if this reflects an introduction or a natural dispersal event from Central America or the Caribbean. We are currently treating it as an exotic that has no priority for conservation in its own right. However, as a pest of Vinca, it could help control the spread of that species into natural areas. On the other hand, that beneficial effect would be offset if it also attacks our native species of Amsonia.

Photo Gallery for Diaphania costata - Orange-shouldered Sherbet Moth

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

	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-09-02 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-26 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-25 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-08-06 Forsyth Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-08-06 Forsyth Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-22 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-22 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-13 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-08 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-10-07 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-06 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-10-05 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-30 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-28 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-20 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-09-03 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-22 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-20 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kenneth Geisert, David Bradley, Julie Tuttle, Patrick Coin, Kaitlyn Elliott, Becky Watkins on 2024-08-17 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-07-25 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-05-20 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-10-27 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-19 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2023-09-13 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-11 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-11 Orange Co. Comment: