Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFTortricidae Members: Endothenia Members: 158 NC Records

Endothenia hebesana (Walker, 1863) - Verbena Bud Moth

Endothenia hebesanaEndothenia hebesanaEndothenia hebesanaEndothenia hebesana
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Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Olethreutinae		Tribe:
Endotheniini		P3 Number:
51a0466		 MONA Number:
2738.00
Comments: As currently recognized, Endothenia hebesana is widely distributed across the US and southern Canada and may comprise a species complex. BOLD currently recognizes four BINS, but populations in North Carolina have not been included in molecular comparisons across the range of this species. Here, we currently treat members of these four BINS as part of a single, geographically variable species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a fairly distinctive tortricid that has complex mottling on the head, thorax and forewing that consists of mixtures of black, white, orangish-brown, dark-brown and bluish-gray patches. The antemedial fascia and median fascia are irregularly-shaped and consists mostly of chocolate-brown and blackish scales, while the interfascial region is well-represented with bluish-gray scaling. The median fascia has two prongs that project rearward towards a postmedial band that consists of three or four grayish spots that are surrounded by black and connected to form a bar. Orangish-brown scaling is relatively conspicuous along the termen and the distal half of the costa (Gilligan et al., 2008).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) have descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia. Also, see North Carolina images below.
Genitalia and other structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are polyphagous and feed on the flower buds, fruits and seed heads of their host species. They commonly burrow through and consume the soft tissues of flower buds, flower heads and fruit capsules. The larvae can damage flower buds to the point where they fail to produce flowers, and consume developing seeds, which compromises seed set. The later instars are uniformly dull to dirty-white except for a black head and prothoracic shield, and individual flower heads or developing fruits typically house only one or two larvae. A larva that was collected in Bee Balm in North Carolina on 21 August pupated shortly thereafter and produced an adult on 5 September. Pupation occurred in a folded leafy bract just below the flower head. Local populations in North Carolina presumably produce two or more broods per year and likely shift to different hosts as the season progresses.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Endothenia hebesana is broadly distributed in mesic to somewhat drier habitats across the US and southern Canada. In the US, western populations are mostly restricted to portions of western California and the central and southern Rockies. Populations in the eastern US are broadly distributed from southern Texas northward to South Dakota and eastward from Maine southward to central Florida. As of 2025, we have records from all three physiographic provinces in the state, but with most restricted to the Blue ridge, Piedmont and coastal regions of the Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Endothenia hebesanaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Flight Comments: The adults have been documented year-round in different areas of the range, with a peak during the warmer months of the year. As of 2025, we have records from late-March through early-November that likely reflect several overlapping generations.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous. and feed on a variety of herbaceous plants. Reported hosts include foxglove (Aureolaria), turtleheads (Chelone spp.), larkspur (Delphinium), Soapwort Gentian (Gentiana saponaria), irises, beardtongue (Penstemon), false-dragonhead (Physostegia), Purple Pitcherplant (Sarracenia purpurea), skullcap (Scutellaria), goldenrod (Solidago), hedge-nettle (Stachys), American Germander (Teucrium canadense), mullein (Verbascum), and vervain (Verbena) (MacKay, 1959; Gilligan & Epstein, 2014). As of 2025, we have feeding records of larvae using Pink Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) and Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR 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 Endothenia hebesana - Verbena Bud Moth

 123 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment: Fruiting heads of Chelone lyonii with brownish entrance holes.
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment: A dissected fruit of Chelone lyonii with damaged tissue that was tunneled through. 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment: A larva that was removed from a fruit of Chelone lyonii.
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-09-03
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-09-03
Moore Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-30
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-29
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-08-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-17
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-07-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-07-03
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-08
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-04-05
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-11-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-09-15
Durham Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31
Orange Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-27
Madison Co.
Comment:
Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Endothenia hebesana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-19
Madison Co.
Comment: