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
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
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 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 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
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
103 NC Records
Herpetogramma thestealis
(Walker, 1859) - Zigzag Herpetogramma Moth
view caption
A typical dark form of this species.
view caption
Note the light bluish iridescent sheen on this specimen which is often present on fresh specimens.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea
Family:
Crambidae
Subfamily:
Pyraustinae
Tribe:
Spilomelini
P3 Number:
801199.00
MONA Number:
5277.00
MONA Synonym:
Herpetogramma abdominalis
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. In particular,
H. abdominalis
is a previously recognized species that occurs in North Carolina, but is now treated as a junior synonym of
H. thestealis
.
Species Status:
"In all these, females are much more difficult" (Scholtens, 2017).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Solis (2010)
Adult Markings:
The following description is based in part on that of Handfield and Handfield (2021). The head, thorax, and abdomen are brown, with the abdomen having a narrow white crossband on the posterior margin of each segment. The ground color of the wings is white and is overlain with a complex pattern of dark-brown marks that are clean-cut. The costa of the forewing has a brown shading that extends from the base to the apex. The terminal line is dark brown, and the fringe varies from whitish to light brown with darker spotting near the base on each vein. A white patch is located between the dark-brown, round, orbicular spot and the dark-brown rectangular reniform spot, while a similar patch occurs between the reniform spot and the postmedial line. A short, brown, longitudinal dash is also usually evident between the orbicular and reniform, but displaced inward towards the middle of the wing.
The antemedial line is weakly sinuate and strikes the costa just anterior to the orbicular spot. The postmedial line projects inward from the costa at around three-fourths the wing length where it meets an outwardly bulged section with three blunt teeth. From there it projects basally towards the orbicular spot for a short distance, then sharply angles away after approaching the reniform spot and runs obliquely inwards to the inner margin where it sometimes joins the antemedial line. A prominent, toothed, dark-brown subterminal line follows the postmedial line and separates a whitish zone between the postmedial and subterminal lines from a zone of heavy brown dusting between the subterminal line and the outer margin. The hindwing has reduced brown dusting in the subterminal region, lacks the antemedial line, and has a discal spot. The postmedial line and subterminal lines are similar to the ones on the forewing. The fringe is white with brown spotting at the base, and there is a well-defined dark brown terminal line.
Handfield and Handfield (2021) reported that a light form exists that is similar to the dark form described above, except that the lines, markings, and wings are paler, especially in the subterminal area, which is yellowish-brown and contrasts with the gray-brown terminal line and deeply-scalloped subterminal line.
Herpetogramma pertextalis
is similar to
H. thestealis
in terms of overall patterning, but the latter is darker overall, with a sharp contrast between the dark brown subterminal shade on the forewing and the whitish area between it and the postmedial line. The subterminal shade also noticeably widens as it approaches the costa, with the tooth next to the costa often touching or nearly touching the postmedial line.
Herpetogramma thestealis
also has a whitish ground color, versus a more light yellowish-tan ground in
H. pertextalis
, and often has a violet or bluish iridescent sheen that is lacking in
H. pertextalis
. Size differences are also helpful, with
H. thestealis
being significantly larger than
H. pertextalis
(wingspan 30-35 mm versus 21-23 mm).
Wingspan:
30–35 mm for males; 29–31 mm for females (Handfield and Handfield, 2021); 28-35 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Herpetogramma thestealis
is widely distributed across North America, including in California, the Pacific Northwest, the eastern U.S. and across most of southern Canada from British Columbia eastward to Prince Edward Island. In the eastern U.S., the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to Louisiana, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, but is relatively uncommon in the Coastal Plain.
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 have been observed from April through October in different areas of the range. As of 2023, our records extend from early-May through early-October, with a seasonal peak in July through mid-August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Many of our records are from rich, mesic, hardwood forests, with coastal populations often associated with bottomland forests.
Larval Host Plants:
This species is polyphagous and feeds mostly on woody species (Forbes, 1923; Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Solis, 2008, 2010; Handfield and Handfield, 2011, 2021; Robinson et al., 2010; Beadle and Leckie, 2012). The reported hosts include American Spikenard (
Aralia racemosa
), American Bittersweet (
Celastrus scandens
), Coastal Sweet-pepperbush (
Clethra alnifolia
), hazelnut (
Corylus
sp.), Mountain Silverbell (
Halesia tetraptera
), Common Winterberry (
Ilex verticillata
), American Ginseng (
Panax quinquefolius
) and American Basswood (
Tilia americana
). -
View
Observation Methods:
The adults are attracted to lights.
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 polyphagous species is found statewide and appears to be reasonably secure.
Photo Gallery for
Herpetogramma thestealis
- Zigzag Herpetogramma Moth
37 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-15
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-08
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-07-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-09
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-09-05
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2022-07-17
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-16
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-22
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-19
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-07-09
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-24
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-10-06
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-29
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-07-12
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-03
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-03
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Patrick and Megan Blythe on 2019-07-03
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-10
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-10
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2018-08-10
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Dowlan on 2018-08-06
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2018-08-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: