Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFPterophoridae Members: Hellinsia Members: 7 NC Records

Hellinsia paleaceus (Zeller, 1873) - Ironweed Plume Moth

Hellinsia paleaceusHellinsia paleaceus
view caption 		Hellinsia paleaceusHellinsia paleaceus
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pterophoroidea		 Family:
Pterophoridae		P3 Number:
63a0107		 MONA Number:
6207.00		 Other Common Name:
One-spotted Plume Moth
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Genitalia and other structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Hellinsia paleaceusAlamance 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:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae reportedly feed on ironweeds (Robinson et al., 2010). As of 2025, we have feeding records for Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea) and New York Ironweed (V. noveboracensis). - View
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 Hellinsia paleaceus - Ironweed Plume Moth

Photos: 9
Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-04
Madison Co.
Comment: Around 10 larvae were feeding on the upper leaf surfaces of Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea). 		Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-04
Madison Co.
Comment: Larvae were actively feeding on the upper sides of Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea); two captive larvae pupated around 20 October.
Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-09-10
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-13
Madison Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection (male).
Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-07-31
Orange Co.
Comment: On Vernonia noveboracensis.
Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: A. Garton on 2024-07-17
Moore Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection (male).		Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: A. Garton on 2024-06-25
Moore Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection (male).
Hellinsia paleaceus
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-28
Madison Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection by J.B. Sullivan