Moths of North Carolina
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37 NC Records

Diasemiodes janassialis (Walker, 1859) - Pied Shawl Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: PyraustinaeTribe: SpilomeliniP3 Number: 801272.00 MONA Number: 5172.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In this species, both the forewing and hindwing have a dark brown to black ground color that is overlain with a series of white stripes. The forewing has a faint and very narrow partial antemedial line that extends from the inner margin to near the middle of the wing, and a much wider and prominent incomplete postmedial line that extends from the costa and narrows towards the middle of the wing. The other marks include a short, sinuous line that extends from the inner margin near the middle of the wing, and two small spots (one discal) just basal to where it terminates. The fringe has alternating zones of white and black, along with an interrupted black basal line. Many specimens also have a terminal line of black spots. The hindwing has a small white basal spot, a thick, white, median line and a more sinuous, thick, postmedian band. The fringe is predominantly white with an interrupted black basal line. The abdomen is black with a thin white band on each segment.
Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1957) has descriptions and images of the male genitalia.
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: Diasemiodes janassialis is found in the eastern U.S. from southeastern New York southward to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin. There is also one disjunct record from Nova Scotia. It occurs statewide in North Carolina, but appears to be absent from the higher 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: The adults fly year-round in southern locales such as Florida and Louisiana, and mostly from April through October elsewhere. As of 2023, our records range from early-April through early-October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: In North Carolina, this species can be found in semi-wooded residential neighborhoods and in natural habitats ranging from bottomland hardwood forests to xeric Long-leaf pine communities.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are undocumented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3-S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is found in all three physiographic provinces in a seemingly wide variety of habitats. More information is needed on its feeding ecology and specific habitat requirements before we can accurately access its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Diasemiodes janassialis - Pied Shawl Moth

Photos: 18

Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2023-08-25
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-21
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-09-02
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-09-20
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-09
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-08-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-06-08
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2018-09-06
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2016-05-12
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2016-04-12
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-09-28
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2005-07-11
Craven Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2005-05-19
Craven Co.
Comment: