Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFPterophoridae Members: 22 NC Records

Pselnophorus belfragei (Fish, 1881) - Belfrage's Plume Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pterophoroidea Family: PterophoridaeP3 Number: 460075.00 MONA Number: 6154.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Forewings vary from whitish with scattered brown and gray scales to dark gray-brown with some whitish scales Barnes and Lindsey (1921). Spots are variable but there is usually on in the middle of the cell; an oblique streak before the cleft; two spots on the costa and one at the apex of both lobes. The abdomen is the most distinctive feature of this species. The ground color varies from light ochraceous to dark brown, with two conspicuous "silky white" lines located subdorsally, bordered "more or less" by black dashes. Similar lines exist along the sides.
Wingspan: 13-19 mm (Barnes and Lindsey, 1921)
Adult Structural Features: In their key to the genera of the Pterophoridae, Barnes and Lindsey (1921) distinguish Pselnophorus as as lacking vein R3 in the forewing; possessing vein C1; veins R4 and R5 short-stalked; and with vein R2 stalked with R4. However, they also note that the venation is highly variable.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae have apparently not been observed in the wild, but captive-reared larvae fed on Carolina Pony's-foot (Dichondra carolinensis) (Matthews et al., 1990), a species that occurs in areas where this moth has been observed in North Carolina
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Pselnophorus belfragei - Belfrage's Plume Moth

Photos: 26

Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-12-30
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-12-05
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-10-13
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-10-02
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-10-02
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-10-02
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-25
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-25
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2021-08-12
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-07-23
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-06
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-11-04
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-09-04
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-08-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-08-08
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-08-01
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-07-10
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-04-13
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: L. M. Carlson on 2019-10-12
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2019-09-30
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2019-09-24
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-09-06
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-08-30
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-08-30
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2017-04-17
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2011-08-28
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: