Moths of North Carolina
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30 NC Records

Crambus laqueatellus Clemens, 1860 - Eastern Grass-veneer Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: CrambinaeTribe: CrambiniP3 Number: 800966.00 MONA Number: 5378.00
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: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Fernald (1896); Forbes (1923)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Fernald (1896)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is in part based on the description by Fernald (1896). The thorax, head and palps are brown, with the latter whitish beneath. The forewing is yellowish-brown with two silvery-white streaks that taper to a point, and are separated by a dark brown streak except at the wing base. The outer silvery streak is margined along the costa with dark brown and is followed by a short, white, costal streak that is thinly margined with blackish-brown on both sides. The longer inner white streak is narrowly edged along the fold with dark brown, while the dorsal half of the wing before the subterminal line is pale yellowish-brown with narrow, silvery-brown lines.

The subterminal line is silvery brown and outwardly curves from the subapical region of the costa towards the outer margin. At about a third of its length it abruptly curves inward and runs roughly parallel to the outer margin to the sub-tornal region of the inner margin. The apex has a triangular white dash that is margined basally with a black line and distally with the black terminal line. The terminal line extends about a third of the way dorsally before being replace with a series of four black dots, each of which is connected to a black line that extends to the subterminal line. The lines pass through a gray patch that is finely stippled with darker scales, with the patch being separated from the apical region by a rectangular white mark. The fringe is lustrous yellowish brown, while the hindwing varies from pale brown to brown and has a white fringe.

Crambus laqueatellus is similar to C. multilinellus, but the latter is lighter colored overall and has a series of black dots on the outer margin without connected lines that extend to the subterminal line. In addition, the streak that splits the two longitudinal white stripes is lined with black scales on both sides (the black scales are lacking on C. laqueatellus).
Wingspan: 23 mm (Fernald, 1896); mean of 27 mm (Ainslie, 1922).
Adult Structural Features: Ainslie (1922, 1924) has illustrations and descriptions of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: This species is commonly associated with grassy habitats such as fields and pastures and presumably feeds on grasses. Ainslie (1922) reported that the hatchlings rejected grasses or herbaceous plants in the laboratory and instead only accepted mosses as a food source. After passing through the first instar the larvae would accept grasses and other species to a greater or less extent, including bluegrass, corn, cow peas and crabgrass. However, they did best when fed a mixture of grass and moss. Ainslie (1922) concluded that mosses are essential for larvae to successfully complete the larval stage, and successfully reared adults on a strict moss diet.

The females produce large numbers dry eggs and presumably drop them from the air as they fly over grassy spots. Ainslie (1922) reported an average clutch size of 378 eggs, with two females laying 720 and 832 eggs. The eggs are initially white, but turn a rich salmon-red within a few days. The larvae pass through nine instars, with the late-instars having a dark reddish-brown to purplish-brown body and a clear yellow head. Local populations are univoltine and the larvae probably follow the usual Crambus life history that involves growing during the summer and fall months, overwintering in a cocoon, then resuming growth in the spring and early summer before pupating.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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: Local populations in North Carolina and in many other areas of the range are univoltine, with the adults often flying for about five weeks each year at any given site (Ainslie, 1922).
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are typically found in grassy habitats such as parks, permanent pastures and meadows. Ainslie (1922) reported that populations are commonly found on rolling, well-drained, and sometimes rather damp land in Tennessee, but not on drier hillsides. They often are very localizes at a given site, which may reflect their reliance on mosses as a food source.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are poorly documented. Fernald (1896) reported that the larvae feed on grass, but did not provide any specifics. Ainslie (1922) noted that several of the claims that this species causes significant economic damage to pastures and small grain fields are not supported by hard data. Ainslie (1922) attempted to grow hatchlings on a variety of host plants, including bluegrass, red and white clover, alfalfa, soy bean, cow pea, wheat, rye, corn, timothy, orchard grass, Muhlenbergia schreberi, Plantaga lanceolata and Rumex crispus, but all of the food plants were consistently refused and the larvae starved to death. When they were offered several species of mosses they showed more interest. One species (Thuidium delicatulum) was readily accepted and adults were reared from a moss-only diet. Other larvae that has passed the first instar on moss fed to a greater or less extent on bluegrass, corn; cow peas and crabgrass, but also continue to consume moss throughout the larval period. Later instar larvae did better when fed a mixture of grass and moss versus only grass. Ainslie (1922) concluded that mosses are essential for larvae to successfully complete the larval stage, which may explain why local populations are often restricted to localized areas in the fields that they studied. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and can be flushed from grassy areas during the day.
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 Crambus laqueatellus - Eastern Grass-veneer Moth

Photos: 18

Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner on 2024-04-19
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-04-26
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-05-05
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-02
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-04-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-04-24
Alamance Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-21
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2021-04-30
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-20
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2017-04-28
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-05-09
Cabarrus Co.
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Recorded by: L. Amos on 2014-05-17
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams on 2014-05-02
Gates Co.
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Recorded by: L.Amos on 2013-05-23
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jackie Nelson / Doug Blatny on 2012-05-25
Ashe Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-05-19
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2007-04-24
Onslow Co.
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