Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Pyralidae Members:	Pococera Members:	230 NC Records

Pococera asperatella (Clemens, 1860) - Maple Webworm Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Pyralidae

Subfamily:
Epipaschiinae

Tribe:
[Epipaschiini]

P3 Number:
80a0651

MONA Number:
5606.00

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.

Species Status: "There is still much confusion about the application of these names [asperatella and expandens]. I recognize each as a particular species but I haven't the actual types to confirm what name goes with what" (Scholtens, 2017)

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Tetralopha asperatella); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on the foliage of various hardwoods. In Wisconsin where Sugar Maple is used as a host (Giese et al., 1964), females commonly lay groups of eggs on leaves that are partly rolled by other insects such as Acleris chalybeana. The first two instars skeletonize the leaves within leaf rolls. Subsequent instars abandon the rolls and form communal nests by webbing together groups of leaves. The largest nests can sometimes include all of the leaves on a small branch. The fully grown larvae leave the nests and drop to the ground on strands of silk, then overwinter as prepupae in cocoons that are spun in the duff on the ground. There appears to be only one generation per year in Wisconsin.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

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
Immature Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records come mainly from mesic hardwood forests, including cove forests and northern hardwoods in the Blue Ridge, mesic slopes and residential areas in the Piedmont, and shoreline areas in the Coastal Plain.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous, feeding on hardwood trees in a number of different families, but particularly maples (Schaffner, 1959; Giese et al., 1964; Prentice, 1966; Allyson, 1977; Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Sugar Maple (A. saccharum), Silver Maple (A. saccharinum), Mountain Maple (A. spicatum), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), hickories (Carya spp.), Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera), American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), White Oak (Quercus alba), Post Oak (Q. stellata), Black Oak (Q. velutina), Live Oak (Q. virginiana), Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), and American Elm (Ulmus americana). Marquis et al. (2019) noted that Pococera expandens was at one time considered to be a synonym of P. asperatella, so that some of the earlier records for oaks should be interpreted cautiously. In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on Pignut Hickory (C. glabra), Sugar Maple, and Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. More information is needed on host use in North Carolina.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4

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 asperatella - Maple Webworm Moth

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

	Recorded by: David George, David Cheng, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-28 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-06-23 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-06-23 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-06-22 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-20 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-07 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-17 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-17 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-16 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-23 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-14 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-08 Madison Co. Comment: A webbed nest on Sugar Maple that had several larvae.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-08 Madison Co. Comment: A larva from a communal nest on Sugar Maple.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-08 Madison Co. Comment: A larva from a communal nest on Sugar Maple.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-07 Madison Co. Comment: A communal nest on Black Gum.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-07 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-03 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kenneth Geisert, David Bradley, Julie Tuttle, Patrick Coin, Kaitlyn Elliott, Becky Watkins on 2024-08-17 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-08-17 Johnston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-08-17 Johnston Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06 Transylvania Co. Comment: