Moths of North Carolina
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135 NC Records

Microcrambus biguttellus (Forbes, 1920) - Gold-stripe Grass-veneer Moth


Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: CrambinaeTribe: CrambiniP3 Number: 800874.00 MONA Number: 5419.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based on Forbes (1920) original description. The antennae are light fuscous, the head and thorax are white, and the labial palps are white above and fuscous on the lower sides. The forelegs are mostly fuscous, while the middle and hindlegs are mostly white. The forewing is notched along the outer margin about a third of the way from the apex. The ground color is silvery white and the base of the costa has a faint, pale yellowish-brown wash. The ground color is overlain with light dull-yellow to yellowish-brown lines. These include a postmedian line that slants outward from just beyond the middle of the costa to the end of the cell. It then acutely angles backwards and passes through two prominent black spots, with one near the middle of the wing, and the second more basal and near the inner margin. The portion that passes through the spots is often faint or broken, and the more basal spot is lightly edged with ocherous. The subterminal line that follows runs from the costa parallel to the postmedial line, then angles to run parallel to the outer margin until it reaches the anal angle. Two short, parallel lines trisect the space between the subterminal line and the apex, but fade out to leave a narrow continuous white margin. The terminal line is fine and black at the costa only, and faintly continues to the notch. There are three black dots just beyond the notch, with the middle one often faint. The fringe is mostly whitish on the apical portion before the notch, and lead-gray from there to the anal angle where it shades again into white. The hindwing is yellowish-white with a pure white fringe. This species is sometimes confused with Crambus albellus, but the latter lacks the two black spots in the middle of the forewing.
Forewing Length: 7-9 mm
Adult Structural Features: Klots (1968) has descriptions and illustrations of the male genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Microcrambus biguttellus is found in the West Indies, the eastern U.S. and in adjoining areas of southern Canada (Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec). In the U.S. the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska 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 fly year-round in Florida and mostly from July through September in the northernmost regions of the range. In most areas of the U.S. the peak months are June through September. As of 2023, our records range from late-March through late-October. Populations in North Carolina appear to be multivoltine, except for the high mountains where there may be only one brood annually.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Based on observations mostly made in the northern portion of the range, Klots (1968) reported that this species appears to be very local and largely limited to very wet, acid environments, and often in association with Northern White Cedar (Thuya occidentalis) and Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides). The habitats used in North Carolina are much more diverse and range from high elevation fens and pastures to dry-xeric sandhills. Both natural habitats and residential neighborhoods are used.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are undocumented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Successional and Semi-Natural Grasslands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This is a relatively common species that is widely distributed within the state and appears to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Microcrambus biguttellus - Gold-stripe Grass-veneer Moth

106 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-09
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2023-09-25
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-24
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-09
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-30
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Macon Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-06
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-25
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-21
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-12
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-09-12
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-09
Alleghany Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-09-02
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-01
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L.M. Carlson, Becky Watkins on 2022-08-14
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-09
Rockingham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-19
Chowan Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-18
Chowan Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-20
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann on 2022-06-18
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann on 2022-06-18
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-12
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-11
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L.M. Carlson, Becky Watkins on 2022-06-09
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L.M. Carlson, Becky Watkins on 2022-06-09
Orange Co.
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