Moths of North Carolina
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Acrobasis Members:
34 NC Records

Acrobasis caryae Grote, 1881 - Hickory Shoot Borer Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: PyralidaeSubfamily: PhycitinaeTribe: PhycitiniP3 Number: 800156.00 MONA Number: 5664.00
Species Status: "All Acrobasis with a 3 are very tricky for ID. In some cases it requires a close look at male antennae, in others a look at the underside of the wings in males. In some cases females cannot be distinguished (e.g. A. angusella and A. latifasciella)" (Scholtens, 2017).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Neunzig (1996)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Neunzig (1972)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color of the forewings is typically dark fuscous, with base and median area concolorous; some southern individuals may be paler gray (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1956). A transverse, black scale ridge is located in the antemedial area, preceded with whitish scaling and followed by a slender, pale, pinkish or ochraceous line. Apart from the pale line beyond the scale ridge, no other yellowish or pinkish shading exists. A pale subterminal line typically is present but sometimes obscure. A pair of separated discal dots is also present but not strongly contrasting with the ground color. Males have a short black patch at the base of the costa on the dorsal surface of the forewings and a long black streak along the top of the cell on the underside. Hindwings are smoky fuscous.
Wingspan: 18-20 mm (Heinrich, 1956)
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.
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: The host plants used by this species indicate that it inhabits dry, basic-mesic, and rich bottomland stands of oak-hickory forests
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on members of the Juglandaceae (Forbes, 1923; Prentice, 1966; Neunzig, 1972; Godfrey et al., 1987; Robinson et al., 2010). The reported hosts include Southern Shagbark Hickory (Carya carolinae-septentrionalis), Bitternut Hickory (C. cordiformis), Pignut Hickory (C. glabra), Pecan (C. illinoinensis), Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata), Sand Hickory (C. pallida), Mockernut Hickory (C. tomentosa) and Black Walnut (Juglans nigra). - View
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 caryae - Hickory Shoot Borer Moth

Photos: 25

Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-11
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-09
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-09
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-06-18
Lincoln Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Patrick Coin, Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-12
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Teper, David George on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-22
Davidson Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, David George on 2023-07-07
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-27
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-06-17
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-24
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2022-06-30
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-05
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-08-20
Cabarrus Co.
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