Moths of North Carolina

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Microcrambus biguttellus (Forbes, 1920) - Gold-stripe Grass-veneer

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Pyraloidea

Family:
Crambidae

Subfamily:
Crambinae

Tribe:
Crambini

P3 Number:
80a1496

MONA Number:
5419.00

Other Common Name:
Gold-striped Grass-veneer

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Adult Markings: The following is based on Forbes (1920) original description. The antennae are light fuscous, the head and thorax are white, and the labial palps are white above and fuscous on the lower sides. The forelegs are mostly fuscous, while the middle and hindlegs are mostly white. The forewing is notched along the outer margin about a third of the way from the apex. The ground color is silvery white and the base of the costa has a faint, pale yellowish-brown wash. The ground color is overlain with light dull-yellow to yellowish-brown lines. These include a postmedian line that slants outward from just beyond the middle of the costa to the end of the cell. It then acutely angles backwards and passes through two prominent black spots, with one near the middle of the wing, and the second more basal and near the inner margin. The portion that passes through the spots is often faint or broken, and the more basal spot is lightly edged with ocherous. The subterminal line that follows runs from the costa parallel to the postmedial line, then angles to run parallel to the outer margin until it reaches the anal angle. Two short, parallel lines trisect the space between the subterminal line and the apex, but fade out to leave a narrow continuous white margin. The terminal line is fine and black at the costa only, and faintly continues to the notch. There are three black dots just beyond the notch, with the middle one often faint. The fringe is mostly whitish on the apical portion before the notch, and lead-gray from there to the anal angle where it shades again into white. The hindwing is yellowish-white with a pure white fringe. This species is sometimes confused with Crambus albellus, but the latter lacks the two black spots in the middle of the forewing.

Forewing Length: 7-9 mm

Adult Structural Features: Klots (1968) has descriptions and illustrations of the male genitalia.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Microcrambus biguttellus is found in the West Indies, the eastern U.S. and in adjoining areas of southern Canada (Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec). In the U.S. the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska and Minnesota. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, but is relatively uncommon in the 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 fly year-round in Florida and mostly from July through September in the northernmost regions of the range. In most areas of the U.S. the peak months are June through September. As of 2023, our records range from late-March through late-October. Populations in North Carolina appear to be multivoltine, except for the high mountains where there may be only one brood annually.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Based on observations mostly made in the northern portion of the range, Klots (1968) reported that this species appears to be very local and largely limited to very wet, acid environments, and often in association with Northern White Cedar (Thuya occidentalis) and Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides). The habitats used in North Carolina are much more diverse and range from high elevation fens and pastures to dry-xeric sandhills. Both natural habitats and residential neighborhoods are used.

Larval Host Plants: The hosts are apparently undocumented, but are suspected to be grasses. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

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 S4S5

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

Comments: This is a relatively common species that is widely distributed within the state and appears to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Microcrambus biguttellus - Gold-stripe Grass-veneer

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

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-06 Henderson 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: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-07-20 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-24 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-24 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-08 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-08 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-02 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-30 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-09 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-08 Mitchell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2024-07-23 Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-10 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25 McDowell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-06-18 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Patrick Coin, Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-13 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2024-06-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-27 Madison Co. Comment: