Moths of North Carolina

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Epiblema scudderiana (Clemens, 1860) - Goldenrod Gall Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Olethreutinae

Tribe:
Eucosmini

P3 Number:
51a1082

MONA Number:
3186.00

Other Common Names:
Scudder's Epiblema, Clemens' Goldenrod Gall Moth

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Wright (2002)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Miller (1976)

Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on the descriptions by Forbes (1923) and Wright (2002). In this species the palps, antennae and head are brown. The forewing has a prominent blackish-brown basal patch that is variably overlaid with blue-gray or dark purplish-gray scales. The patch covers the basal fourth of the wing and is sharply defined with a somewhat irregular outer boundary where it meets a broad, light, median band. The median band in North Carolina specimens is either white, or white with a faint pinkish or tan shade, and often has a few gray stria, elongated blotches or flecks. The median band extends from the inner margin to just short of the costa and narrows on both sides to a blunt, rounded end. The distal side is often poorly defined where it meets the region between the median band and the ocellus. The ocellus is crossed longitudinally by one to four black dashes and is variably bordered on the basal, distal, and ternal margins with blue-gray scales. The region between the ocellus and the median band is variably colored, and can be predominantly brown, or filled with a mixture of whitish, black, and gray scaling. A black spot is present in this region about a third of the way inward from the inner margin and just proximal to the ocellus. A narrow band of orange-brown coloration is present along the apical third of the costa that is crossed by four pairs of white costal strigulae. The strigulae transition into blue-gray stria that run distally towards the ocellus and termen. An orangish-brown spot is often present at the apex, and an orangish-brown line may extend along the costal half of the outer margin.

Epiblema scudderiana resembles several other species, including E. infelix, E. tripartitana and E. glenni. It can best be distinguished by the white median band that stops just short of the costa and is bluntly rounded. The proximal edge is crisp and distinct, while the distal edge is often poorly defined, particularly in lighter-colored specimens (Wright, 2002). Epiblema infelix has a white, roughly triangular, median band that only extends about two-thirds the distance from the inner margin to the costa. Both E. tripartitana and E. glenni have well-defined median bands with their own distinctive shapes, with that of E. glenni being salmon-colored.

Forewing Length: 5.2-11.3 mm; mean = 8.2 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2023).

Adult Structural Features: Wright (2002) and Wright and Gilligan (2023) provide descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.

Genitalia and other structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The following life history account in based on that of Miller (1976) who reared numerous adults from goldenrods. The females presumably lay eggs near the growing tips of the plants and the hatchlings initially mine the shoot tips. They then actively bore into a stem and feed along a 3-5 cm length of stem, which stimulates the plant to produce an elongated gall (Miller, 1963). The developing galls commonly have an entrance hole and a second hole between the gall chamber and outside where the larva periodically dumps its frass and other debris. The debris holes are usually located in the lower half of the gall, are enlarged as the larva grows, and are covered with silk when not in use. The mature galls occasionally rupture and expose the larval chamber, and the larvae respond by feeding in the adjacent portions of the stem. After the larvae in galls are full-grown and have stopped feeding, they permanently seal the debris holes with a dark brown noncellular material probably of larval origin. They then excavate a moth exit tunnel in the upper half of the galls, leaving only a thin layer of plant tissue. The larvae spin silken funnels that guide the emerging insect into the exit, and complete their work before winter. The larvae overwinter, then pupate in the galls the following summer. The adults typically emerge in May and June in northern localities, where local populations are univoltine (Miller, 1976).

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Epiblema scudderiana is found throughout much of the eastern and central U.S. and in adjoining areas of Canada from Saskatchewan and Manitoba eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the U.S. the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota. This species occurs 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 have been observed from February through October, with the primary flight season from April through August. As of 2024, our records range from late-March through late-August, with a relatively short flight period in the Blue Ridge.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are typically found in fragmented landscapes with forests, fields, residential neighborhoods and other disturbed habitats. It also occurs in natural communities with a well developed ground cover of forbs. This species relies heavily on goldenrods as hosts and populations are centered around sites with the host plants.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on composites, including Solidago, Heterotheca, Euthamia, and possibly Baccharis, with goldenrods being the primary hosts (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1923; MacKay, 1959; Kimball, 1965; Ferguson, 1975; Miller, 1976; Plakidas, 1978; Godfrey et al., 1987; Martel, 1995; Joanisse and Storey, 1995; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010). Miller (1976) reared adults from Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris) and several species of goldenrods, including members of the Canada Goldenrod complex (Solidago altissima-canadensis), Giant Goldenrod (S. gigantea), Early Goldenrod (S. juncea), Gray Goldenrod (S. nemoralis) and Elmleaf Goldenrod (S. ulmifolia). Other reported hosts include Grass-leaved Flat-top Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia; Plakidas, 1978) and a Baccharis sp. The latter needs verification. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in galls on goldenrods.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Successional Fields and Forblands

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: This species occurs statewide and often inhabits early successional fields and disturbed sites that are commonplace in North Carolina.

Photo Gallery for Epiblema scudderiana - Goldenrod Gall Moth

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

	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger, Becky Elkin on 2025-08-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-28 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-18 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-09 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-07-20 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-06-07 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-05-01 Pender Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-04-27 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-12 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Maurice Cullen, Todd Pusser, F. Williams, S. Williams on 2024-07-08 Gates Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-28 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-11 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-09 Pender Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-07 Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-15 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-07-27 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-07-16 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-06-25 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and John Petranka on 2023-06-14 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-01 Pender Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-03-26 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-31 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan, and Steve Hall on 2022-07-24 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-20 Caswell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-20 Caswell Co. Comment: