Moths of North Carolina
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4 NC Records

Crambus sanfordellus Klots, 1942 - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: CrambinaeTribe: CrambiniP3 Number: 800955.00 MONA Number: 5367.00
Comments: The genus Crambus includes around 155 species that are distributed globally. Some of the species are significant pests that can cause damage to agricultural crops, lawns and rangelands. This is one of 41 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl and Nanz, 2023), and one of fifteen species that occur in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Klots (1942)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based in part on the original description by Klots (1942). The face, head, and thorax are white and the tegula is a brassy lustrous, brown. The ground color of the forewing is orangish-brown and darkest between the discal stripe and the costa. The most conspicuous mark is a silvery white discal stripe that is broad and narrowly separated from the costa by a thin brown line that widens apically. The stripe begins at the wing base and gradually widens to the middle of the wing, then tapers gradually to a sharp point just before the submarginal line. The stripe has a very long and slender dorsal tooth that arises just beyond its middle. The inner margin is narrowly but distinctly white from the base, and the submarginal line is preceded on the costa by a trapezoidal white patch. A series of fine, but not very distinct, semi-metallic lines are present between the veins and extend outward from the discal stripe towards the submarginal line. The submarginal line runs obliquely outward from the costa to below the apex, then bends to form a rounded angle of slightly more than 90 degrees and runs to the inner margin. It consists of an inner dark line and an outer semi-metallic line. The region between the costa and apex may have an additional dark line that parallels the semi-metallic line. The apical area is white and contains a dark brown, slender, triangular dash. The submarginal space below the apex is powdery gray-brown, with five indistinct, slender, black lines, each more or less margined by a few white scales. The marginal line is dark brown, narrow, and most distinct below the apex. The fringe is brownish and semi-satiny, and more whitish basally in the apical region. The hindwing is light brown with a white fringe.

Crambus sanfordellus is best distinguished from other silvery striped Crambus by the broad silvery stripe with its very long slender, dorsal tooth, and by the narrowly white inner margin. This species also has very distinctive genitalia.
Forewing Length: 12 mm (Klots, 1942).
Adult Structural Features: Klots (1942) has a description and illustration of the male genitalia, which are very distinctive.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This seemingly rare species is only known from a few sites in Florida and from a small number of counties in eastern North Carolina. As of 2023, we have only four site records for the state.
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: Florida adults have been observed from April through December. As of 2023, we have one record from late-June, with the remainder from late-September through late-October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our very limited records are from both xeric Long-leaf Pine communities and more mesic bottomland settings.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are undocumented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S1S2]
State Protection:
Comments: This seemingly rare species is only known from a few sites in Florida and from a small number of counties in eastern North Carolina. As of 2023, we have only four site records for the state. We need additional information on its distribution, abundance, preferred habitats and larval life history before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Crambus sanfordellus - No common name

Photos: 2

Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2006-10-20
Carteret Co.
Comment: BOLD specimen.		Recorded by: J.B.Sullivan, R.Broadwell, B.Smith on 1994-10-25
Brunswick Co.
Comment: BOLD specimen.