Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gelechiidae Members:	Dichomeris Members:	33 NC Records

Dichomeris kimballi Hodges, 1986 - Kimball's Dichomeris

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gelechioidea

Family:
Gelechiidae

Subfamily:
Dichomeridinae

P3 Number:
59a0532

MONA Number:
2310.10

Comments: Dichomeris is a large genus with several hundred species that occur throughout the world. Hodges (1986) recognized 74 species in North America north of Mexico, with 19 species groups. Most are leaftiers and they use a taxonomically diverse array of plant hosts, including members of 18 families of plants in North America. As of 2025, North Carolina has 35 documented species, and at least one undescribed species from the Sandhills.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Hodges (1986)

Adult Markings: Dichomeris kimballi has a rather non-descript forewing that is mottled with brown, grayish, and pale yellowish-gray scale patches. The overall color of fresh specimens is pale brownish-gray, while worn specimens are often lighter. The costa has a slender, diffuse, dark spot on the costal margin near the middle that widens inward. The most conspicuous mark is a well-defined, pale, subterminal line at around four-fifths the wing length that has an outward projecting tooth near the middle. A thin, white terminal line is also usually present, with the area between the two lines filled with dark-gray to blackish scales. A pair of small, dark spots that are margined with white scales are present at the middle of the wing, along with a similar, single spot at three-fourths.

The outer surface of the first and second segments of the labial palps are dark-brown, and there is a dorsal scale tuft on the second segment that has the apices of the scales off-white. The third segment is dark brown near the base and before the apex, with the middle region a uniformly pale-gray color. The frons, vertex, and occiput are mostly shades of gray, while the shaft of the antenna has alternating pale-gray and dark grayish-brown rows of scales (Hodges, 1986). The legs are grayish-brown with a few lighter tarsal rings. The hindwing is brown and has a prominent concolorous fringe.

Dichomeris inversella is often confused with D. kimballi. Hodges (1986) described D. kimballi as having a more washed-out appearance, which we interpret as having a paler and grayer ground color. The best field mark is that D. kimballi has a slender, dark-gray spot on the costal margin that widens inward. It occurs just beyond the middle of the wing and between the pair of dark spots at the middle of the wing, and the single spot at three-fourths, that are usually visible in this species. In D. inversella, the costal margin is more-or-less uniformly dark gray from the base to the apex. In addition, the area between the subterminal line and outer margin is darker than the remainder of the wing in D. kimballi, but much less so in D. inversella. The third segment of the labial palp is also useful, with D. inversella having a white segment except for an incomplete, dark ring below the tip. In contrast, the third segment of D. kimballi is dark at the tip and base, with a gray area in between.

Forewing Length: 5.0-6.2 mm (Hodges, 1986)

Adult Structural Features: Hodges (1986) has descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia. Also, see images for North Carolina specimens below.

Genitalia and other structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: As of 2025, we are unaware of any documentation of the larval hosts or larval life history.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Dichomeris kimballi is most common in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of the eastern US, with spotty records outside of these areas. The range extends from Rhode Island, New Jersey and southeastern New York southward to southern Florida, and westward to Louisiana, east-central Texas, eastern Oklahoma, and southern Illinois. As of 2025, most of our records are from the eastern Piedmont and in coastal areas in the central Coastal Plain.

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 have been observed from January through September in Florida and from April through October elsewhere. As of 2025, our records extend from early-May through mid-August, with a seasonal peak in May and June.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records come from both fairly open, dry-to-xeric sites, including barrier islands and sand ridges, but also from fairly wet areas, including pond and lakeshores, and streamheads in the Fall-line Sandhills.

Larval Host Plants: The host plants appear to be undocumented, although Hodges (1986) speculated that oaks or hickories would be likely hosts. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S4

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

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Dichomeris kimballi - Kimball's Dichomeris

Photos: 27

	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-06-20 Durham 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: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-11 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-09 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-11 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-09 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-16 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-05-22 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2022-08-02 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2022-06-30 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-30 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-08-16 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-05-21 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-13 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-13 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-06 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-06-22 Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2020-05-25 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-05-17 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-05-17 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-05-17 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-05-02 Onslow Co. Comment: