Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFPyralidae Members: Acrobasis Members: 15 NC Records

Acrobasis minimella Ragonot, 1889 - No Common Name

Acrobasis minimellaAcrobasis minimellaAcrobasis minimellaAcrobasis minimella
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Pyralidae		Subfamily:
Phycitinae		Tribe:
Phycitini		P3 Number:
80a0078		 MONA Number:
5657.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD, iNat SearchTechnical Description, Adults: Neunzig (1996)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Neunzig (1972)                                                                                 
Genitalia and other structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae skeletonize the leaves of oaks and produce conspicuous, sinuous, frass tubes within leaf folds on the host species. Individuals typically skeletonize a broad area around the opening to the frass tube and retreat into the tube when not feeding. The early-instars gradually enlarge their tubes as they grow and remain in them until just before pupating (Neunzig, 1972).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Acrobasis minimellaAlamance 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 Hanover 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: Host plants appear to be primarily upland species of oaks, but include species that inhabit both dry and mesic forests. We have too few records -- none with habitat descriptions -- to be certain about the associations of this species in North Carolina.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on oaks. Neunzig (1972) lists White Oak (Quercus alba), Southern Red Oak (Q. falcata), Turkey Oak (Q. laevis), Blackjack Oak (Q. marilandica), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), and Black Oak (Q. velutina). In North Carolina, we have records of mines as of 2025 on Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Southern Red Oak, and Blackjack Oak, Sand Post Oak (Q. margaretiae) and Water Oak (Q. nigra). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the conspicuous frass tubes can be found in leaf folds on oaks.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Acrobasis minimella - None

Photos: 13
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-08-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-08-29
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-10-11
Burke Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine on Scarlet Oak. 		Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-10-11
Burke Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine and frass tube on Scarlet Oak.
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-11
Richmond Co.
Comment: An unoccupied frass tube on Quercus margaretiae.		Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-10
Moore Co.
Comment: An unoccupied frass tube on Quercus falcata.
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-10
Moore Co.
Comment: An unoccupied frass tube on Quercus falcata.		Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2019-04-14
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Acrobasis minimella
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2000-00-00
Carteret Co.
Comment: