Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFCrambidae Members: Palpita Members: 6 NC Records

Palpita arsaltealis (Walker, 1859) - No Common Name

Palpita arsaltealisPalpita arsaltealisPalpita arsaltealis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Crambidae		Subfamily:
Pyraustinae		Tribe:
Spilomelini		P3 Number:
80a0983		 MONA Number:
5222.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Munroe (1952)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Munroe (1952) described Palpita arsaltealis but did not provide a detailed description of its external morphology and markings. Instead, he noted that it was similar to P. cincinnatalis, except for being larger and having a shorter central process on the male valve. The description of P. cincinnatalis was based on only two specimens from what appears to be the same site in southern Ohio, so it is uncertain to what extent it captured sexual, seasonal and interpopulational variation within P. cincinnatalis. Munroe (1952) noted that both species differ from the other gray forms of the genus in having the ground color of the hindwings as dark as that of the forewings. A redescription of this species is clearly needed using specimens that are identified using genitalia and molecular markers. Our identifications here are tentative since we have not verified identifications using genitalia or barcoding. They are based on specimens presented on MPG, BugGuide and BOLD.

In this species, the ground color of the forewing varies from light brown to grayish-brown and is heavily speckled with diffuse dusky-brown spotting. The orbicular and reniform spots are dark brown with irregular, diffuse margins. The latter is often fused with or masked by a larger concolorous blotch that fills the middle of the wing, but rarely extends all the way to the inner margin. The ground color of the hindwing tends to be the same color as that of the forewing, but is often more thinly scaled (Munroe, 1952). It has diffuse dusky-brown spotting that resembles that of the forewing, but the basal third of the wing is generally less speckled than the outer two-thirds. The hindwing lacks large blotches, but does have a small discocellular line. The forewing and hindwing both have a narrow, dark-brown marginal line. The fringe is darker near the base and often appears weakly checkered.

This species is perhaps most easily confused with P. magniferalis, but the later typically has much more heavy dark blotching on the forewing, with the middle blotch often extending across the entire width of the wing. The basal blotching is also much more prominent. The ground color varies from light-brown to brownish-white, with the whitish mottling often contrasting more sharply with the surrounding brownish scales. The winter form of P. freemanalis is also similar, but is smaller (forewing ca. 9-10 mm versus 12 mm). Forewing length is helpful for identifying brownish specimens that are collected from February through early May.
Forewing Length: 12 mm (Munroe, 1952).
Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1952) has illustrations of the female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Palpita arsaltealisAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Host plants are apparently unknown.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Palpita arsaltealis - None

Photos: 5
Palpita arsaltealisRecorded by: Mark Shields on 2025-04-04
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Palpita arsaltealisRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Palpita arsaltealisRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-20
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Palpita arsaltealisRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Palpita arsaltealisRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-03-26
Wake Co.
Comment: