Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
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Paectes Members:
63 NC Records

Paectes pygmaea Hübner, 1818 - Pygmy Paectes Moth

Paectes pygmaeaPaectes pygmaeaPaectes pygmaeaPaectes pygmaea
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: EuteliidaeSubfamily: EuteliinaeP3 Number: 931107 MONA Number: 8959.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color is blackish when fresh but fades to dull brown (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian and postmedian are black and doubled. The antemedian is deeply scalloped, with three loops. The middle loop is the largest and borders a basal spot that ranges from fuscous to pale tan. The postmedian is overlain with a blackish shade and runs out to a sharp cusp or tooth at the cell and is then smoothly incurved to the inner margin. The orbicular is small or obscure but the reniform is a narrow pale lunule with a dark center. The hindwings are black with a white outer margin.

This species is similar to P. abrostoloides but is much smaller and lacks the small tooth on the inner curve of the postmedian that is possessed by that species. The overall effect is that the double PM line of P. abrostoloides is represented as two arcs that connect, with the inner one being the larger. In contrast, P. pygmaea has a single, broad arc that spans the entire length between the posterior tooth and the inner margin.
Wingspan: 19-24 mm (Metzler and Franclemont, 1991); 20 mm (Forbes, 1954)
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: The larvae were thought to specialize on Sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua), but are known to commonly use Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum; Forbes, 1954; Wagner, 2005; BugGuide). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Sweetgum Groves and Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Paectes pygmaea - Pygmy Paectes Moth

Photos: 22

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-10
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-14
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-05-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-02-22
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-07-21
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-18
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-04
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-04
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-06-17
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2017-07-18
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-07-18
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: