Moths of North Carolina

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Gymnandrosoma punctidiscanum (Dyar, 1904) - Dotted Gymnandrosoma

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Olethreutinae

Tribe:
Grapholitini

P3 Number:
51a1390.5

MONA Number:
3495.00

Other Common Name:
Dotted Ecdytolopha Moth

Comments: Gymnandrosoma is a small genus with fewer than 10 species, two of which occur in the US and the remainder in the Neotropics.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Dyer (1904)

Adult Markings: The following is based mostly of the descriptions by Dyer (1904) and Forbes (1923). The head, antennae, and palps are finely mottled with varying amounts of gray, ocherous, and blackish scales. The palps are rather long and obliquely ascending, and have a short third segment. The thorax has a conspicuous pair of truncate tufts on the posterior margin, and the forewing is irregularly mottled and strigose with varying amounts of fuscous, blackish, and gray scales. Blackish or otherwise relatively dark scales tend to predominate on the basal two-thirds (sometimes over the entire wing), while the apical third is usually lighter colored. The boundary between the two is often outwardly angulated and there is a small, white discal dot near the apex of the angle. The fringe is dark grayish to blackish, and the hindwing is brown to blackish brown with a slightly paler fringe and inconspicuous darker basal line. This species is readily identified by a combination of the slightly upturned palps, the prominent thoracic tufts, and the white discal spot. Cryptaspasma bipenicilla is similar, but lacks the thoracic tufts and is restricted to coastal habitats.

Wingspan: 18-19 mm for males; 21-25 mm for females (Dyer, 1904)

Forewing Length: 8.0-12.0 mm (Gilligan et al., 2008)

Adult Structural Features: The dorsal surface of the abdomen of males has a naked patch that is flanked by two pale hair-pencils. Gilligan et al. (2008) and Gilligan and Epstein (TortAI) provide images and descriptions of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on Black Locust but details of the larval life history are undocumented. There appears to be two or more generations per year.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Gymnandrosoma punctidiscanum is found throughout much of the eastern US and in adjoining areas of Ontario and Quebec. In the US the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, and eastern Minnesota. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina wherever the host plants are present.

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 year-round in Florida and mostly from April through September elsewhere, with a seasonal peak from June through August. As of 2022, we have records from mid-March to early September.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally found in woodlands, woodland borders, roadways, and fencerows with Black Locust.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and perhaps other Robinia species (Prentice, 1966; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Lam et al., 2011; Gilligan and Epstein, 2014). They may also very rarely use Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra; Heppner, 2007). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Locust Groves and Thickets

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 is widespread and can be locally abundant. It shows no evidence of any widespread population declines within the state.

Photo Gallery for Gymnandrosoma punctidiscanum - Dotted Gymnandrosoma

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-06 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-09-02 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-08-09 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-02 Richmond 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: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-20 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-08 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-06-05 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-23 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-23 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-19 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-05-18 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-08 Harnett Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-08 Harnett Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-26 Madison Co. Comment: