Moths of North Carolina
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3 NC Records

Argyria rufisignella Zeller, 1872 - Mother-of-pearl Moth

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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: CrambinaeTribe: ArgyriiniP3 Number: 80a1452 MONA Number: 5462.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Martinez and Brown (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In this species the palps, head, and thorax are a rich rusty-red and the antennae are brown. The forewing is satiny white with the costal margin that is either mostly satiny-white, or with a faint light brown line from the base to as far as the apex. The inner margin has a reddish-brown spot at around two-thirds the wing length, and the costal has two short, outwardly oblique, reddish-brown streaks at around two-thirds and four-fifths the wing length. The terminal line is represented by seven diffuse reddish-brown to fuscous spots that are bordered basally with a dark-brown to blackish, scalloped line. The fringe is reddish-tan apically with a darker basal line, and the hindwing is off-white with a well-developed off-white fringe.
Forewing Length: 6.0-6.7 mm for females and 4.80-5.1 mm for males (Martinez and Brown (2007).
Adult Structural Features: Martinez and Brown (2007) have illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
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: Argyria rufisignella is an uncommon species that is found primarily in the eastern U.S. Widely scattered records are known from Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and southern Ontario. As of 2023, we have only two confirmed records, and both are from the Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Argyria rufisignella
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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Flight Comments: The adults have been observed from May through September in different areas of the range. As of 2023, we have only one dated record that is from late-June.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species has been found in open habitats such as barrens, prairies, and coastal pinelands. Our one record is from a Longleaf pine savanna.
Larval Host Plants: The larval hosts are undocumented. Heppner (2007) list the hosts as 'grass' but did not provide any evidence for this. It may simply reflect the tendency for many members of this taxonomic group to use grasses as hosts. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
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 Photo Gallery for Argyria rufisignella - Mother-of-pearl Moth

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Larry Chen and Sarah Toner on 2024-09-15
Dare Co.
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