Moths of North Carolina
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Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Crambidae Members:
Achyra rantalis
Aethiophysa consimilis
Aethiophysa invisalis
Aethiophysa unidentified species
Agriphila ruricolellus
Agriphila vulgivagellus
Anageshna primordialis
Anania coronata complex
Anania extricalis
Anania funebris
Anania leuschneri
Anania mysippusalis
Anania plectilis
Anania tennesseensis
Anania tertialis
Anania unidentified species
Apogeshna stenialis
Arequipa turbatella
Argyria gonogramma
Argyria nummulalis
Argyria rufisignella
Ategumia ebulealis
Blepharomastix ranalis
Carectocultus dominicki
Carectocultus perstrialis
Catoptria latiradiellus
Chalcoela iphitalis
Chalcoela pegasalis
Chilo demotella
Chilo plejadellus
Choristostigma roseopennalis
Chrysendeton imitabilis
Chrysendeton medicinalis
Chrysoteuchia topiarius
Chrysoteuchia unidentified species
Colomychus talis
Conchylodes ovulalis
Condylorrhiza vestigialis
Crambini unidentified species
Crambus agitatellus
Crambus ainslieellus
Crambus albellus
Crambus braunellus
Crambus girardellus
Crambus laqueatellus
Crambus leachellus
Crambus multilinellus
Crambus pascuella
Crambus praefectellus
Crambus quinquareatus
Crambus saltuellus
Crambus sanfordellus
Crambus satrapellus
Crambus unidentified species
Crambus youngellus
Crocidophora pustuliferalis
Crocidophora serratissimalis
Crocidophora tuberculalis
Daulia magdalena
Desmia funeralis
Desmia maculalis
Desmia subdivisalis
Desmia unidentified species
Diacme adipaloides
Diacme elealis
Diacme unidentified species
Diaphania costata
Diaphania hyalinata
Diaphania nitidalis
Diasemiodes janassialis
Diasemiodes nigralis
Diasemiopsis leodocusalis
Diastictis argyralis
Diastictis baccatalis
Diastictis pseudargyralis
Diastictis unidentified species
Diastictis ventralis
Diathrausta harlequinalis
Diathrausta reconditalis
Diatraea crambidoides
Diatraea evanescens
Diatraea lisetta
Diatraea unidentified species
Dicymolomia julianalis
Donacaula aquilellus
Donacaula dispersellus
Donacaula longirostrallus
Donacaula maximellus
Donacaula melinellus
Donacaula nitidellus
Donacaula roscidellus
Donacaula sordidellus
Donacaula tripunctellus
Donacaula unidentified species
Donacaula unipunctellus
Duponchelia fovealis
Ecpyrrhorrhoe puralis
Elophila atlantica
Elophila faulalis
Elophila gyralis
Elophila icciusalis
Elophila nebulosalis
Elophila obliteralis
Elophila tinealis
Eoparargyractis irroratalis
Eoparargyractis plevie
Eoparargyractis unidentified species
Eoreuma densellus
Epina dichromella
Epipagis fenestralis
Euchromius ocellea
Eudonia alpina
Eudonia heterosalis
Eudonia strigalis
Eudonia unidentified species
Eulepte anticostalis
Eustixia pupula
Evergestis pallidata
Evergestis rimosalis
Evergestis unimacula
Fissicrambus mutabilis
Fissicrambus profanellus
Fissicrambus unidentified species
Framinghamia helvalis
Fumibotys fumalis
Geshna cannalis
Glaphyria basiflavalis
Glaphyria cappsi
Glaphyria fulminalis
Glaphyria glaphyralis
Glaphyria peremptalis
Glaphyria sesquistrialis
Glyphodes pyloalis
Glyphodes sibillalis
Hahncappsia mancalis
Hahncappsia marculenta
Hahncappsia neobliteralis
Hahncappsia neomarculenta
Hahncappsia unidentified species
Haimbachia albescens
Haimbachia placidellus
Haimbachia squamulellus
Hellula phidilealis
Hellula rogatalis
Helvibotys helvialis
Helvibotys pucilla
Herpetogramma aeglealis
Herpetogramma bipunctalis
Herpetogramma centrostrigalis
Herpetogramma fluctuosalis
Herpetogramma pertextalis
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
Herpetogramma sphingealis
Herpetogramma theseusalis
Herpetogramma thestealis
Herpetogramma unidentified species
Hymenia perspectalis
Leptosteges flavifascialis
Leptosteges vestaliella
Lineodes fontella
Lipocosma adelalis
Lipocosma septa
Lipocosma sicalis
Lipocosma unidentified species
Lipocosmodes fuliginosalis
Loxostege cereralis
Loxostege commixtalis
Loxostegopsis merrickalis
Lygropia rivulalis
Lygropia tripunctata
Marasmia cochrusalis
Marasmia trapezalis
Mesolia incertellus
Microcrambus biguttellus
Microcrambus elegans
Microcrambus kimballi
Microcrambus minor
Microcrambus new species
Microcrambus unidentified species
Microtheoris ophionalis
Mimoschinia rufofascialis
Nacoleia charesalis
Nascia acutellus
Neargyractis slossonalis
Neocataclysta magnificalis
Neodactria caliginosellus
Neodactria luteolellus
Neodactria new species
Neodactria unidentified species
Neodactria zeellus
Neohelvibotys neohelvialis
Neohelvibotys polingi
Neohelvibotys unidentified species
Nephrogramma reniculalis
Nomophila nearctica
Oenobotys vinotinctalis
Ostrinia multispinosa
Ostrinia nubilalis
Ostrinia obumbratalis
Ostrinia penitalis
Ostrinia unidentified species
Palpita aenescentalis
Palpita arsaltealis
Palpita freemanalis
Palpita illibalis
Palpita magniferalis
Palpita maritima
Palpita quadristigmalis
Palpita unidentified species
Pantographa limata
Parapediasia decorellus
Parapediasia teterrellus
Parapoynx allionealis
Parapoynx maculalis
Parapoynx obscuralis
Parapoynx seminealis
Patania silicalis
Pediasia trisecta
Perispasta caeculalis
Petrophila bifascialis
Petrophila canadensis
Petrophila fulicalis
Petrophila unidentified species
Phaedropsis stictigramma
Pilocrocis ramentalis
Polygrammodes flavidalis
Polygrammodes oxydalis
Prionapteryx achatina
Prionapteryx new species
Prionapteryx serpentella
Psara obscuralis
Pyrausta acrionalis
Pyrausta bicoloralis
Pyrausta demantrialis
Pyrausta fodinalis
Pyrausta generosa
Pyrausta homonymalis
Pyrausta inornatalis
Pyrausta inveterascalis
Pyrausta laticlavia
Pyrausta niveicilialis
Pyrausta orphisalis
Pyrausta phoenicealis
Pyrausta rubricalis
Pyrausta signatalis
Pyrausta subsequalis
Pyrausta tyralis
Pyraustinae unidentified species
Raphiptera argillaceellus
Rhectocraspeda periusalis
Rupela segrega
Rupela tinctella
Samea castellalis
Samea multiplicalis
Samea unidentified species
Saucrobotys futilalis
Scoparia basalis
Scoparia biplagialis
Scoparia cinereomedia
Scoparia dominicki
Scoparia penumbralis
Scoparia unidentified species
Sericoplaga externalis
Sitochroa palealis
Spoladea recurvalis
Syngamia florella
Terastia meticulosalis
Thaumatopsis edonis
Thaumatopsis floridella
Thopeutis forbesellus
Udea rubigalis
Undulambia striatalis
Uresiphita reversalis
Urola nivalis
Vaxi auratellus
Vaxi critica
Xanthophysa psychicalis
Xubida linearella
Xubida panalope
Xubida unidentified species
Herpetogramma
Members:
Herpetogramma aeglealis
Herpetogramma bipunctalis
Herpetogramma centrostrigalis
Herpetogramma fluctuosalis
Herpetogramma pertextalis
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
Herpetogramma sphingealis
Herpetogramma theseusalis
Herpetogramma thestealis
Herpetogramma unidentified species
53 NC Records
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
(Guenée, 1854) - Dusky Herpetogramma Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea
Family:
Crambidae
Subfamily:
Spilomelinae
P3 Number:
801196.00
MONA Number:
5274.00
Comments:
Over 20 species of
Herpetogramma
have been described from North America that are based mostly on external morphology. The most recent treatment consolidates these into only nine species (Solis, 2010) and all nine occur in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Solis (2010)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Tofangazi et al. (2014)
Adult Markings:
This is the smallest of our
Herpetogramma
species, with a wing length of less than 11 mm and a wingspan of around 20 mm. The head, thorax, abdomen, and ground color of the forewing are medium-brown, and the wing marking are subdued relative to our other
Herpetogramma
species. The blackish orbicular spot is small and rounded, while the blackish reniform has a half-moon shape. The area between the orbicular and reniform is brown and lacks a pale or whitish patch as seen in some
Herpetogramma
species (Solis, 2010; Handfield and Handfield, 2021). The antemedial line is often obscure and mostly straight, but angles basally just before reaching the costa. The postmedial line extends inward from the costa at around three-fourths the wing length as a broadly wavy line, then angles inward to run parallel to the inner margin before sharply angling away from the reniform spot and running nearly perpendicular to the inner margin. The hindwing is concolorous with the forewing and has similar markings, except that it lacks the antemedial line and reniform spot. Both the forewing and hindwing lack conspicuous dark shading in the subterminal region. The fringe of both wings is slightly lighter than the ground color and has a narrow, dark line at the base that parallels a similar, but often scalloped or dashed, terminal line.
Wingspan:
20 mm (Handfield and Handfield, 2021).
Forewing Length:
<11 mm (Solis, 2010).
Adult Structural Features:
Handfield and Handfield (2021) have descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
The following life history account is based on that of Tofangazi and Arthurs (2012) and Tofangazi et al. (2014). The larvae feed on warm season turfgrasses and can be pests on new lawns, turfgrass, golf courses, and athletic fields. The adults rest in sheltered sites such as tall grasses and shrubby areas during the day and are active at dusk. The females lay clusters of 10 to 35 creamy-white eggs on the upper surface of grass blades. The eggs become brownish-red with age and hatch in 3 to 4 days. The larvae pass through six instars, a pre-pupal stage and a pupal stage, with the entire sequence requiring 21 to 47 days depending on ambient temperatures. The first four instars are window feeders on the upper surfaces of grass blades and cause minor damage, while the last two instars consume sections of the entire blade and can cause severe damage to lawns and other maintained sites. The larvae feed at night and hide in the thatch during the day. They pupate in the thatch and construct a crude cocoon by binding together pieces of dried leaf blades. The larvae have cream-colored bodies with brown spots (pinacula) on each segment and dark, yellowish-brown heads. The bodies become more dull green with time, and the fully grown larvae average around 11 mm in length. Local populations often have three or four generations in southern Florida where they are active throughout the year.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
is found in southern South America northward to Central America, the Caribbean and the southeastern United States. This species appears to be intolerant of winter freezes (Tofangazi et al., 2014), and disperses from southern localities northward each year to as far north as the northern U.S. and southern Canada (Ontario). The adults have been observed from Maine southward to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Missouri, eastern Nebraska, and southern Minnesota. Apparent geographic isolates are also known from southern Arizona and New Mexico. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, but is only rarely seen in 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
Flight Comments:
The adults are active year-round in Florida where there are often four or more generations per year, and mostly from August through November elsewhere in the U.S. As of 2023, our records range from mid-June through late-December, with a seasonal peak from August through November. Populations in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North Carolina likely produce two generations per year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
The larvae feed on grasses, and the adults are commonly found in residential setting or other sites where cultivated warm-season grasses are maintained.
Larval Host Plants:
The larvae feed on warm-season grasses, and in particular, members of the Poaceae (Allyson, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Tofangazi and Arthurs, 2012; Handfield and Handfield, 2021). The reported hosts include Creeping Bentgrass (
Agrotis stolonifera
), carpetgrasses (
Axonopus
ssp.), Bermudagrass (
Cynodon
ssp.), Centipede Grass (
Eremochloa ophiuroides
), Bahiagrass (
Paspalum notatum
), Seashore Paspalum (
P. vaginitium
), St. Augustine Grass (
Stenotaphrum secundatum
) and Zoysiagrass (
Zoysia japonica
). -
View
Observation Methods:
The adults are attracted to lights, and will come to sugar bait and nectar sources.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
GNR (S4S5)
State Protection:
Comments:
This species occurs statewide and uses lawns and other maintained turfgrasses as hosts. It appears to be secure witin the state.
Photo Gallery for
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
- Dusky Herpetogramma Moth
52 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-19
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-05
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-14
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-09-11
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-22
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-11-17
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-10-25
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-07
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-06
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-16
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-02
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-19
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-19
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-10-27
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-10-23
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-09-16
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-13
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2021-12-28
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-11-17
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-11-10
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-10-29
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-10-27
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-10-02
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-08-31
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-11-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-11-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-11-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-11-06
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-11-05
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-10-29
Durham Co.
Comment: