Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFPyralidae Members: Pococera Members: 151 NC Records

Pococera expandens (Walker, 1863) - Striped Oak Webworm Moth

Pococera expandensPococera expandensPococera expandensPococera expandens
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Pyralidae		Subfamily:
Epipaschiinae		Tribe:
[Epipaschiini]		P3 Number:
80a0653		 MONA Number:
5608.00		 Other Common Name:
Double-humped 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: 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].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Pococera expandensAlamance 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.
Immature 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: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from primarily from mesic hardwood forests, including northern hardwoods and cove forests in the Mountains, mesic slopes, riparian forests, and shorelines in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae appear to specialize on oaks (Prentice, 1966; Allyson, 1977; Robinson et al., 2012; Marquis et al, 2019). The reported hosts include White Oak (Quercus alba), Bear Oak (Q. ilicifolia), Shingle Oak (Q. imbricaria), Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa), Chestnut Oak (Q. montana), Chinquapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii), Pin Oak (Q. palustris), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Post Oak (Q. stellata), and Black Oak (Q. velutina). In North Carolina, our only feeding record as of 2024 is for Northern Red Oak. - View
Wikipedia
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 expandens - Striped Oak Webworm Moth

 156 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-07-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-20
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-20
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-30
Madison Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-22
Madison Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-31
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-07-25
Durham Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-11
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-11
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-28
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-24
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: John Petranka on 2024-05-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pococera expandensRecorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Pococera expandensRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment: