Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFPyralidae Members: 11 NC Records

Acrobasis caryae Grote, 1881 - Hickory Shoot Borer Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: PyralidaeSubfamily: PhycitinaeTribe: PhycitiniP3 Number: 800156.00 MONA Number: 5664.00
Species Status: "All Acrobasis with a 3 are very tricky for ID. In some cases it requires close look at male antennae, in others a look at the underside of the wings in males. In some cases females cannot be distinguished (e.g. A. angusella and A. latifasciella)" (Scholtens, 2017)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONATechnical Description, Adults: Neunzig (1996)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Neunzig (1972)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color of the forewings is typically dark fuscous, with base and median area concolorous; some southern individuals may be paler gray (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1956). A transverse, black scale ridge is located in the antemedial area, preceded with whitish scaling and followed by a slender, pale, pinkish or ocracheous line. Apart from the pale line beyond the scale ridge, no other yellowish or pinkish shading exists. A pale subterminal line typically is present but sometimes obscure. A pair of separated discal dots is also present but not strongly contrasting with the ground color. Males have a short black patch at the base of the costa on the dorsal surface of the forewings and a long black streak along the top of the cell on the underside. Hindwings are smoky fuscous.
Wingspan: 18-20 mm (Heinrich, 1956)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
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: The host plants used by this species indicate that it inhabits dry, basic-mesic, and rich bottomland stands of oak-hickory forests
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Hickories, including Carya glabra, C. pallida, C. ovata, C. carolinae-septentrionalis, C. cordiformis, and C. tomentosa (Neunzig, 1972).
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Acrobasis caryae - Hickory Shoot Borer Moth

Photos: 2

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-05
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-08-20
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: