Moths of North Carolina

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Crambus agitatellus Clemens, 1860 - Double-banded Grass-veneer

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Crambinae

Tribe:
Crambini

P3 Number:
80a1572

MONA Number:
5362.00

Comments: The genus Crambus includes around 155 species that are distributed globally. Some of the species are significant pests that can cause damage to agricultural crops, lawns and rangelands. This is one of 41 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl and Nanz, 2023), and one of fifteen species that occur in North Carolina.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Adult Markings: In this species the head and thorax are brownish-yellow. The palps when viewed from the side are mostly light fuscous with white beneath (Fernald, 1896). The forelegs are light fuscous, and the ground color of the forewing varies from brownish-yellow or brownish-orange to brown. The most conspicuous mark is a broad, silvery white, longitudinal stripe that gradually widens as it extends from the wing base to near the middle of the wing, then tapers to a sharp point at around two-thirds the wing length. A small tooth often project from the dorsal edge at the point where the stripe begins to taper, and the margins are lined with yellowish- to brownish-orange scales. The stripe is divided by a faint brownish-yellow to brown line that is usually incomplete and sometimes missing on worn specimens. When present, it extends from the distal end of the band basally and typically fades out near the middle of the wing. A V-shaped brownish-yellow to brown subterminal line is present at around four-fifths that is double, or nearly so, with the distal line often incomplete or broken on the dorsal half. The space between the lines is filled with silvery and blackish scales, with the blackish scales most prevalent on the costal half. In between the subterminal line and the end of the silver stripe there is a separate large white patch. The patch is bordered above and below with two silvery lines with black edges that alternate with brownish-yellow lines. The subapical area beyond the subterminal line has an outwardly oblique brownish-yellow line that extends to the outer margin. It is followed by a small triangular brownish-yellow patch and a similar white patch that adjoins the black terminal line that covers the apical third of the outer margin. The remainder of the outer margin has a series of four or five black dots or dashes. The fringe is silvery lead gray, while the hindwing is gray to grayish-white with a paler fringe. North Carolina populations have two common color forms, with the first having the ground color and lines light brownish yellow to yellowish-orange, and the second with the ground and lines brown to dark brown.

Crambus saltuellus is very similar but has a more prominent brown or brownish-yellow line running through the silver stripe, and has a larger number of dark and silver lines extending out from the upper portion of the silver band. In some individuals, dark streaks run close to the inner margin from the base of the wing to the subterminal line (BugGuide, 2018). In addition, the subterminal line is margined by a line of silvery white scales on the distal side that is relatively obscure in C. agitatellus.

Wingspan: 17-22 mm (Covell, 1984); 20-25 (Ainslie, 1924).

Adult Structural Features: Ainslie (1924) has a description of the male genitalia.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Local populations are typically univoltine and feed on grasses, including wheat, but detailed studies of the larval life history are lacking. Bragg (2005) reported that C. agitatellus and Agriphila vulgivagellus were the primary pests that caused the loss of around 40% of a wheat crop in Washington. The larvae overwinter and begin feeding again with the spring warm-up, followed by pupation.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Crambus agitatellus is found in the eastern U.S. and in adjoining areas of southern Canada (Manitoba; Ontario; Quebec; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island). In the U.S. the range extends from Maine to Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, central Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska, Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota. This common species occurs in every state east of the Great Plains, and is found statewide in North Carolina.

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: The adults fly from April through October in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak in June through August in most states. As of 2023, our records extends from late-May through early September, with a seasonal peak in June and July.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: We have records from essentially all grass-containing habitats in the state, including high elevation fens, Longleaf Pine sand ridges, and suburban yards. Ainslie (1924) noted that they prefer meadows and pastures where there are numerous taller broadleaf plants present such as ironweed that serve as resting spots.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae have been reported to feed on grasses (Covell, 1984; Robinson et al., 2010; Beadle and Leckie, 2012), but very few details are known about host use. Bragg (2005) found that C. agitatellus and Agriphila vulgivagellus were the primary pests on a wheat crop in Washington. As far as we are aware, the native plants that are used by this species are undocumented. - View

Observation Methods: This species comes well to blacklights and the adults nectar at night on wildflowers. They also can be flushed fairly easily by walking through grassy habitats.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Successional and Semi-Natural Grasslands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S5

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

Comments: This is a common species that occurs statewide and is secure.

Photo Gallery for Crambus agitatellus - Double-banded Grass-veneer

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-11 Ashe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-09 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Sarah Toner and Larry Chen on 2025-07-30 Tyrrell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-29 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Dale Morgan, Patrick Coin, Julie Tuttle, Becky Watkins, et al. on 2025-07-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-07-20 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-13 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-05 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P Morales on 2025-07-04 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Michael P Morales on 2025-07-04 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-07-04 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-07-01 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, David Cheng, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-06-26 Forsyth Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-25 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-24 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-24 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-24 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-22 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-06-18 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-06-18 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-11 Wilson Co. Comment: