Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Depressariidae Members:	Bibarrambla Members:	61 NC Records

Bibarrambla allenella (Walsingham, 1882) - Bog Bibarrambla

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gelechioidea

Family:
Depressariidae

Subfamily:
Depressariinae

Tribe:
[Depressariini]

P3 Number:
59a0125

MONA Number:
911.00

Comments: Bibarrambla is a monotypic genus. Its sole member (B. allenella) was initially placed in the genus Semioscopis, then moved by Forbes (1923) to Agonopterix. Clarke (1941) later removed it from Agonopterix based on external anatomical and genitalic differences.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Clarke (1941), Hodges (1974)

Adult Markings: The following is primarily based on the description by Clarke (1941). The labial palp is sordid white and lacks a brush. The second segment is shaded or speckled with fuscous and has a narrow, incomplete, brownish-fuscous annulus slightly before the apex. The third segment has a spot anteriorly at the base and a broad, brownish fuscous annulus above the middle. The antenna is sordid white and narrowly annulated with fuscous. The head, thorax, and forewing are grayish white and suffused and speckled with fuscous. At the basal third of the wing there are two fuscous discal spots of raised scales. These are sometimes confluent, and are followed by ochreous and whitish scales. At the end of the cell there is a black-edged, white discal spot of raised scales. These are also followed by some ochreous scaling that may form a diffuse blotch. A series of fuscous spots occurs along the costa and around the termen to the inner margin, and the costa is sometimes narrowly edged with pink. The cilia are sordid white with a broad, pale grayish-fuscous sub-basal band. The hindwing is pale grayish fuscous and darker apically, and the cilia are sordid white with a broad, pale grayish fuscous sub-basal band. The legs are sordid white and suffused and annulated with fuscous except at the joints and on the hind tibia. The abdomen is pale ochreous and suffused with fuscous above. This species is rather nondescript. The two groups of raised scales that approximate the AM and PM lines, and that usually have ochreous scaling behind them, are diagnostic features.

Wingspan: 19-22 mm (Clarke, 1941).

Forewing Length: 8.5-10.5 mm (Hodges, 1974)

Adult Structural Features: Clarke (1941) provides detail descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia, along with genitalic characters that help to distinguish this species from Agonopterix.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on hardwoods and are leaftiers, but very little is known about their larval ecology and life history.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Bibarrambla allenella is found in North America and primarily has a northern distribution. The range includes most of southern Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. In the US the range extends from the northeastern states westward to Minnesota and Wisconsin and southward along the Appalachian region to eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and northern Alabama. As of 2023 all of our records are from the western mountains, and mostly from lower elevation sites.

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
Flight Comments: Adults have been recorded from April through November in different areas of the range, with most activity from May through August. Populations in North Carolina appear to be bivoltine, with an initial brood in May and June and a second in late July and August.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are associated with hardwood forests or mixed pine-hardwood forests. Our records are mostly from lower to mid-elevations in the mountains, and in habitats that range from floodplain forests to rich hardwood slopes.

Larval Host Plants: Bibarrambla allenella is polyphagous and feeds on a variety of hardwoods, particularly birches and alders (Baker, 1960, 1972; Prentice, 1966; Hodges, 1974; Robinson et al., 2010). The reported hosts include alders (including Gray Alder, Alnus incana), Paper Birch (B. papyrifera), Gray Birch (B. populifolia), oaks (Quercus), and willows (Salix). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: As of 2023, we have 10 site records. This species appears to be locally common, but more information is needed on its distribution and abundance before we can assess its conservation status.

Photo Gallery for Bibarrambla allenella - Bog Bibarrambla

39 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-25 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-18 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-11 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-27 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-27 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-16 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-22 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-14 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-14 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-13 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-19 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-03 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24 Clay Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-26 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-07 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-07 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-27 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-17 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-15 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-05 Madison Co. Comment: