Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFPterophoridae Members: Exelastis Members: 8 NC Records

Exelastis pumilio (Zeller, 1873) - Dwarf Plume Moth

Exelastis pumilioExelastis pumilioExelastis pumilio
Taxonomy
Family:
Pterophoridae		Subfamily:
Pterophorinae		P3 Number:
63a0060		 MONA Number:
6099.10
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Genitalia and other structural photos
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Exelastis pumilioAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Matthews and Landry (2008) reported that the larvae feed on the flowers, shoots and young leaves of Desmodium species and certain other legumes. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Leguminous Forb and Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S2S3]
State Protection:
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Exelastis pumilio - Dwarf Plume Moth

Photos: 9
Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger, Becky Elkin on 2025-08-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-07-20
Moore Co.
Comment:
Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, John Petranka on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, John Petranka on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-10-30
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2022-07-25
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Exelastis pumilio
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan, and Steve Hall on 2022-07-25
Scotland Co.
Comment: Bo Sullivan also collected three individuals from the same general site.