Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Crambidae Members:	Parapediasia Members:	76 NC Records

Parapediasia decorellus (Zincken, 1821) - Graceful Grass-veneer

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Crambinae

Tribe:
Crambini

P3 Number:
80a1528

MONA Number:
5450.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Fernald (1896); Forbes (1923)

Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on those of Fernald (1896) and Forbes (1923). The palps, head, thorax and abdomen are very pale yellowish-brown to dull white above, and the palps have a light brown stripe on the side that contrast with the lighter top. The forewing has prominent light clay-colored or light yellowish-brown veins that contrast with an ashy-gray to brown shade that fills most of the area between the veins. On some specimens a diffuse longitudinal stripe runs along the inner margin that is unshaded and slightly duller than the coloration on the head and thorax. The irregular median line varies from orangish-brown to orangish-yellow and often has blackish scales near the center of the wing. It extends obliquely outward from the costa for about one-third its length then angles backward and runs to the inner margin. A second, but smaller, outward angle is present at around one-third its length from the inner margin. The subterminal line is double and concolorous with the median line, but lacks the dark scaling. It runs from the inner margin roughly parallel to the outer margin for most of its length, but bows outward and run away from the outer margin just before the costa. The subterminal space between the outer margin and the subterminal line is orangish-brown to orangish-yellow, and is often sufficiently broad on the dorsal half of the wing to cover the dorsal half of the outer of the two subterminal lines. The outer margin has a row of six black dots, and the fringe is metallic, somewhat darker at the base, and iridescent gold outwardly. The hindwing varies from whitish to light brown or brownish-gray, with a paler fringe.

Wingspan: 19-27 mm (Forbes, 1923).

Adult Structural Features: Ainslie (1924) has a description of the male genitalia.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented, but the larvae probably feed on grasses given that they will readily accept several species in the lab (Ainslie, 1924). The larvae have clear yellow heads that lack markings and darken somewhat with age (Ainslie, 1924).

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Parapediasia decorellus is found in the eastern U.S. from Maine southward to Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Arkansas, central Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.

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 during all but the coldest winter months in the southernmost areas of the range. Adults in northern populations primarily fly from May through September. As of 2023, our records extend from mid-May through late-September, with one late season record from mid-November. Most local populations in North Carolina appear to be bivoltine.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Most of our records are from fragmented and disturbed landscapes with a mixture of forest, fields and developments, with the great majority from residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The host plants are undocumented. Heppner (2007) listed 'grass' but presumably because many members of the Crambini use grasses as hosts. We are unaware of any specific documentation of the larvae using a particular host species in the wild. However, Ainslie (1924) noted that the larvae fed readily on Kentucky Bluegrass, corn, Timothy, Orchard Grass, and rye in captivity. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and can be found resting on vegetation during the day.

Wikipedia

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 species is common in North Carolina and appears to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Parapediasia decorellus - Graceful Grass-veneer

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

	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-08 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-04 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-04 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-30 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-28 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-08-28 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-23 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Sarah Toner and Larry Chen on 2025-08-22 Dare Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-16 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-11 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-30 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-22 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-13 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-08 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-24 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-24 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-31 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-08-17 Johnston Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-16 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-31 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-13 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-09-23 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-09-01 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-25 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-25 Durham Co. Comment: