Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« Home »
View PDFErebidae Members: Crambidia Members: 92 NC Records

Crambidia pallida Packard, 1864 - Pale Lichen Moth

Crambidia pallidaCrambidia pallidaCrambidia pallidaCrambidia pallida
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Arctiinae		Tribe:
Lithosiini		P3 Number:
930219		 MONA Number:
8045.10
Comments: One of eleven named species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), of which six been recorded in North Carolina (several others are still undescribed). Two undescribed species that appear to be in the same species complex with C. pallida were mentioned by Forbes (1960) and may be present in North Carolina; other undescribed species may also be present.
Species Status: Crambidia pallida has long been regarded as a complex of several species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Generally small and pale grayish brown with lighter veins. Both sexes are similar and possess simple antennae, differing from C. lithosiodes in both respects. Certain populations are somewhat darker and/or smaller and may represent undescribed species; which one is the true C. pallida is unclear.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: Descriptions of the larvae are apparently unavailable.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: The complex occurs statewide; the distribution of the individual species is unclear
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Crambidia pallidaAlamance 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.
Flight Comments: Unclear until the species can be distinguished.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records for this complex come from the Coastal Plain, where it occupies a wide range of habitats, including maritime forests, floodplain hardwoods, peatlands, and wet-to-dry Longleaf Pine Communities. Records from the Piedmont and Mountains come from both lowland and upland stands of hardwood forests. Until the members of this complex can be reliably separated, the degree of habitat restriction within this group cannot be determined.
Larval Host Plants: Like most Lithosiines, probably feeds on lichens, bark algae, and Cyanobacteria (Covell, 1984; Wagner, 2005). - View
Observation Methods: Comes commonly to abundantly to blacklight traps. It is rarely, if ever, attracted to bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments: While this complex as a whole appears to be widespread and secure within the state, determination of the conservation status of individual species cannot be determined until the taxonomy of this group is resolved.

 Photo Gallery for Crambidia pallida - Pale Lichen Moth

 35 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-06-26
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-20
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-20
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-06-03
Currituck Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-03
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-08-13
Pamlico Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-08-12
Pamlico Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-28
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-26
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-06-07
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-26
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-21
Orange Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-03
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-13
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-12
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-09-16
Madison Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-01
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-21
Caswell Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-06-03
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-07-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-13
Madison Co.
Comment:
Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-09-10
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Crambidia pallidaRecorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-09-10
Buncombe Co.
Comment: