Moths of North Carolina
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Pelochrista Members:
76 NC Records

Pelochrista robinsonana (Grote, 1872) - Robinson's Pelochrista Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 621021.00 MONA Number: 3009.00 MONA Synonym: Eucosma robinsonana
Comments: Pelochrista is a large Holarctic genus of tortricids with around 75% of the 226 described species being native to North America (Wright and Gilligan, 2017). The highest species richness occurs in the western half of North America. The genus has a long and confusing taxonomic history, with many of the species formerly placed in the genus Eucosma. Gilligan et al. (2014) conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Pelochrista, Eucosma, and related genera and redefined the genus Eucosma and Pelochrista based on differences in female genitalia. The great majority of Pelochrista species are known only from adults, which likely reflects the fact that the larvae of most species bore into stem bases and roots and are concealed from view. Members of the Asteraceae are the likely hosts for most species (Wright and Gilligan, 2017), but much work need to be done to identifying the hosts.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Wright and Gilligan (2017)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The adults are boldly marked with white and brown patterning and are difficult to confuse with other species. The head and palps are predominantly white, but have light brown scales that are intermixed. The thorax is brown with a white central line that connects with a small white spot at the base. The remainder of the wing has five white marks that include two white interfascial areas (bands) that separate brown basal, sub-basal, and median fascias, along with two white patches -- each with a brown dot -- on the distal half of the costa (Wright and Gilligan, 2017). A whitish ocellus or patch is also present near the anal angle that is usually edged laterally by pinkish transverse bars. In males the white band between the sub-basal and median brown fascias extends from the inner margin to the radius, while in females it continues to the costa. The hindwing is medium brown with a paler fringe. This species resembles P. quinquemaculana but the latter has a larger whlte basal spot, only one transverse white band in the proximal half of the wing, and a white spot without a trace of pink in the position of the ocellus (Wright and Gilligan, 2017).
Forewing Length: 4.4-8.7 mm; mean 6.8 mm (Wright and Gilligan, 2017)
Adult Structural Features: Wright and Gilligan (2017) provide detailed illustrations of the male and female genitalia. They note that the most distinctive genitalic features are a series of long marginal spines on the cucullus from the angle to the distal end of neck, a triangular medial protrusion of the posterior margin of the sternum 7, and an elongate trough-like signum on the dorsal surface of the corpus bursae that is medially located on a large patch of sclerotized membrane.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Pelochrista robinsonana is restricted to eastern North America where it occupies a broad range that extends from New Hampshire and Vermont southward to southern Florida and westward to eastern and north-central Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and North Dakota. In North Carolina this species is most commonly encountered in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, with only a few records from the lower elevations in the Blue Ridge.
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: Local populations appear to have one or two broods per year depending on the latitude. The adults are active year-round in Florida and have been collected from March to October elsewhere. Peak activity in most areas of the range occurs from April through July. As of 2022, our records extends form late-March through early October, with Coastal Plain populations appearing to possibly having a second brood late-summer.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come primarily from open, herb-dominated habitats, although at least a few come from forested sites. A large number were recorded in dry-xeric sand ridge habitats.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants appear to be unknown, but there is one records which suggests that the larval may use goldenrods (Wright and Gilligan (2017). - View
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 Pelochrista robinsonana - Robinson's Pelochrista Moth

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

Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-03
Davidson 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: John Petranka and Jim Petranka on 2023-05-18
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-04
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-04-04
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn on 2023-03-28
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn on 2023-03-28
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-06-07
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-06-05
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-05-04
Pender Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-05-03
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-05-03
Pender Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-25
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-04-06
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-20
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-09
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-09
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-06-16
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-06-08
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-06-08
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-05-25
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-20
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-20
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-11
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-10
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-10
Richmond Co.
Comment: