Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFPyralidae Members: Melitara Members: 38 NC Records

Melitara prodenialis Walker, 1863 - Eastern Cactus-boring Moth


Melitara prodenialisMelitara prodenialisMelitara prodenialisMelitara prodenialis
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea
Family:
Pyralidae
Subfamily:
Phycitinae
Tribe:
Phycitini
P3 Number:
80a0513
MONA Number:
5970.00
Species Status: "May also have Cactoblastis cactorum on coast, which is very close in appearance" (Scholtens, 2017)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Neunzig (1996)                                                                                 
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.
Melitara prodenialisAlamance 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:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae reportedly feed on cacti, including prickly-pears (Opuntia spp.) and Yucca (Robinson et al., 2010). In North Carolina, our only feeding record is for a prickly-pear. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Dry-Xeric Sand Barrens and Glades
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 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 Melitara prodenialis - Eastern Cactus-boring Moth

Photos: 27
Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment: A prickly pear pad that was cut open to revel the frass and tunnels when the larvae bored through the pad.
Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment: A prickly pear pad that was cut open to revel the frass and tunnels when the larvae bored through the pad.
Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2023-05-20
Carteret Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka and John Petranka on 2023-05-18
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka and John Petranka on 2023-05-18
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-27
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-27
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-26
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-26
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-26
Scotland Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-26
Scotland Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-09-24
Carteret Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-06-07
Carteret Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-05-30
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2022-05-30
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-10-31
Carteret Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-10-12
Carteret Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-10-03
Moore Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2020-10-23
Carteret Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Ed Corey on 2013-06-04
Bladen Co.
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Melitara prodenialisRecorded by: Newman,Randy on 2006-05-10
Carteret Co.
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