Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFPyralidae Members: Pococera Members: 44 NC Records

Pococera scortealis (Lederer, 1863) - Lespedeza Webworm Moth

Pococera scortealisPococera scortealisPococera scortealisPococera scortealis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Pyralidae		Subfamily:
Epipaschiinae		Tribe:
[Epipaschiini]		P3 Number:
80a0641		 MONA Number:
5596.00		 Other Common Name:
White-aproned Pococera Moth
Comments: The genus Pococera contains a taxonomically challenging group of species with many forms that are difficult to distinguish based on external morphology, coloration, and patterning. Rearing and knowledge of the host species can be helpful in a few instances, and some species can be identified based on external characteristics. However, we find many specimens from North Carolina that are challenging to assign to species with high confidence. The genitalia of species that have been examined from North Carolina are virtually identical and offer little help in sorting out species. DNA barcoding also offers little help since many of the established names show up in multiple BINs that likely reflect large numbers of misidentified specimens. Unfortunately, no one has any idea which of these specimens are accurately identified. A comprehensive study of North American members of the genus is clearly needed that will hopefully better delineate species boundaries and resolve some of the problems that hamper the accurate identification of specimens from within the state and elsewhere. At present, our assignment of specimens to certain species is best treated as provisional.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Immature Stages: Allyson (1977)                                                                                 
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Very little is known about the larval life history. Allyson (1977) reported that the mature larvae are 17-21 mm long. The head is yellowish brown with dark brown reticulation, while the prothoracic shield is yellowish brown with brown maculation. The body is yellowish brown with dark brown ad-dorsal and subdorsal stripes from T2 to A9, and with light pigmentation between the two stripes. The anal shield is yellowish brown with brown dots.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Pococera scortealisAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our few records come from both natural and semi-natural habitats. Most are from mesic forests but at least a few come from dry forests and one comes from a high elevation grassland.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on species of hoary-pea (Tephrosia) and Lespedeza, including Chinese Bush-clover (L. cuneata) (Allyson, 1977; Robinson et al., 2010). In North Carolina, Tracy Feldman has reared a larva from Chinese Bush-clover. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Leguminous Forb and Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Pococera scortealis - Lespedeza Webworm Moth

Photos: 24
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Jim Petranka on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-10
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: John Petranka, David George on 2023-06-30
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: John Petranka and Jim Petranka on 2023-05-19
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-19
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-16
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: John Petranka on 2022-05-22
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-01
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-06-17
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-05-18
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2019-07-23
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2017-07-20
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2017-05-25
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, S. Hall on 2015-07-22
Stanly Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Chris Talkington on 2015-06-12
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf on 2015-06-05
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Pococera scortealisRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2014-07-10
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: