Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Crambidae Members:
Achyra rantalis
Aethiophysa consimilis
Aethiophysa invisalis
Agriphila ruricolellus
Agriphila vulgivagellus
Anageshna primordialis
Anania coronata complex
Anania extricalis
Anania funebris
Anania leuschneri
Anania mysippusalis
Anania plectilis
Anania tennesseensis
Anania tertialis
Anania unidentified species
Apogeshna stenialis
Arequipa turbatella
Argyria gonogramma
Argyria nummulalis
Argyria rufisignella
Ategumia ebulealis
Blepharomastix ranalis
Carectocultus dominicki
Carectocultus perstrialis
Catoptria latiradiellus
Chalcoela iphitalis
Chalcoela pegasalis
Chilo demotella
Chilo plejadellus
Choristostigma roseopennalis
Chrysendeton imitabilis
Chrysendeton medicinalis
Chrysoteuchia topiarius
Chrysoteuchia unidentified species
Colomychus talis
Conchylodes ovulalis
Condylorrhiza vestigialis
Crambini unidentified species
Crambus agitatellus
Crambus ainslieellus
Crambus albellus
Crambus braunellus
Crambus girardellus
Crambus laqueatellus
Crambus leachellus
Crambus multilinellus
Crambus pascuella
Crambus praefectellus
Crambus quinquareatus
Crambus saltuellus
Crambus sanfordellus
Crambus satrapellus
Crambus unidentified species
Crambus youngellus
Crocidophora pustuliferalis
Crocidophora serratissimalis
Crocidophora tuberculalis
Daulia magdalena
Desmia funeralis
Desmia maculalis
Desmia subdivisalis
Desmia unidentified species
Diacme adipaloides
Diacme elealis
Diacme unidentified species
Diaphania costata
Diaphania hyalinata
Diaphania nitidalis
Diasemiodes janassialis
Diasemiodes nigralis
Diasemiopsis leodocusalis
Diastictis argyralis
Diastictis baccatalis
Diastictis pseudargyralis
Diastictis unidentified species
Diastictis ventralis
Diathrausta harlequinalis
Diathrausta reconditalis
Diatraea crambidoides
Diatraea evanescens
Diatraea lisetta
Diatraea unidentified species
Dicymolomia julianalis
Donacaula aquilellus
Donacaula dispersellus
Donacaula longirostrallus
Donacaula maximellus
Donacaula melinellus
Donacaula nitidellus
Donacaula roscidellus
Donacaula sordidellus
Donacaula tripunctellus
Donacaula unidentified species
Donacaula unipunctellus
Duponchelia fovealis
Ecpyrrhorrhoe puralis
Elophila atlantica
Elophila faulalis
Elophila gyralis
Elophila icciusalis
Elophila nebulosalis
Elophila obliteralis
Elophila tinealis
Eoparargyractis irroratalis
Eoparargyractis plevie
Eoparargyractis unidentified species
Eoreuma densellus
Epina dichromella
Epipagis fenestralis
Euchromius ocellea
Eudonia alpina
Eudonia heterosalis
Eudonia strigalis
Eudonia unidentified species
Eulepte anticostalis
Eustixia pupula
Evergestis pallidata
Evergestis rimosalis
Evergestis unimacula
Fissicrambus mutabilis
Fissicrambus profanellus
Fissicrambus unidentified species
Framinghamia helvalis
Fumibotys fumalis
Geshna cannalis
Glaphyria basiflavalis
Glaphyria cappsi
Glaphyria fulminalis
Glaphyria glaphyralis
Glaphyria peremptalis
Glaphyria sesquistrialis
Glyphodes pyloalis
Glyphodes sibillalis
Hahncappsia mancalis
Hahncappsia marculenta
Hahncappsia neobliteralis
Hahncappsia neomarculenta
Hahncappsia unidentified species
Haimbachia albescens
Haimbachia placidellus
Haimbachia squamulellus
Hellula phidilealis
Hellula rogatalis
Helvibotys helvialis
Helvibotys pucilla
Herpetogramma aeglealis
Herpetogramma bipunctalis
Herpetogramma centrostrigalis
Herpetogramma fluctuosalis
Herpetogramma pertextalis
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
Herpetogramma sphingealis
Herpetogramma theseusalis
Herpetogramma thestealis
Herpetogramma unidentified species
Hymenia perspectalis
Leptosteges flavifascialis
Leptosteges vestaliella
Lineodes fontella
Lipocosma adelalis
Lipocosma septa
Lipocosma sicalis
Lipocosma unidentified species
Lipocosmodes fuliginosalis
Loxostege cereralis
Loxostege commixtalis
Loxostegopsis merrickalis
Lygropia rivulalis
Lygropia tripunctata
Marasmia cochrusalis
Marasmia trapezalis
Mesolia incertellus
Microcrambus biguttellus
Microcrambus elegans
Microcrambus kimballi
Microcrambus minor
Microcrambus new species
Microcrambus unidentified species
Microtheoris ophionalis
Mimoschinia rufofascialis
Nacoleia charesalis
Nascia acutellus
Neargyractis slossonalis
Neodactria caliginosellus
Neodactria luteolellus
Neodactria new species
Neodactria unidentified species
Neodactria zeellus
Neohelvibotys neohelvialis
Neohelvibotys polingi
Neohelvibotys unidentified species
Nephrogramma reniculalis
Nomophila nearctica
Oenobotys vinotinctalis
Ostrinia multispinosa
Ostrinia nubilalis
Ostrinia obumbratalis
Ostrinia penitalis
Ostrinia unidentified species
Palpita aenescentalis
Palpita freemanalis
Palpita illibalis
Palpita magniferalis
Palpita maritima
Palpita quadristigmalis
Palpita unidentified species
Pantographa limata
Parapediasia decorellus
Parapediasia teterrellus
Parapoynx allionealis
Parapoynx maculalis
Parapoynx obscuralis
Parapoynx seminealis
Patania silicalis
Pediasia trisecta
Perispasta caeculalis
Petrophila bifascialis
Petrophila canadensis
Petrophila fulicalis
Petrophila unidentified species
Phaedropsis stictigramma
Pilocrocis ramentalis
Polygrammodes flavidalis
Polygrammodes oxydalis
Prionapteryx achatina
Prionapteryx new species
Prionapteryx serpentella
Psara obscuralis
Pyrausta acrionalis
Pyrausta bicoloralis
Pyrausta demantrialis
Pyrausta fodinalis
Pyrausta generosa
Pyrausta homonymalis
Pyrausta inornatalis
Pyrausta inveterascalis
Pyrausta laticlavia
Pyrausta niveicilialis
Pyrausta orphisalis
Pyrausta rubricalis
Pyrausta signatalis
Pyrausta subsequalis
Pyrausta tyralis
Pyraustinae unidentified species
Raphiptera argillaceellus
Rhectocraspeda periusalis
Rupela segrega
Rupela tinctella
Samea castellalis
Samea multiplicalis
Samea unidentified species
Saucrobotys futilalis
Scoparia basalis
Scoparia biplagialis
Scoparia cinereomedia
Scoparia dominicki
Scoparia penumbralis
Scoparia unidentified species
Sericoplaga externalis
Sitochroa palealis
Spoladea recurvalis
Syngamia florella
Thaumatopsis edonis
Thaumatopsis floridella
Thopeutis forbesellus
Udea rubigalis
Undulambia striatalis
Uresiphita reversalis
Urola nivalis
Vaxi auratellus
Vaxi critica
Xanthophysa psychicalis
Xubida linearella
Xubida panalope
Xubida unidentified species
Polygrammodes
Members:
Polygrammodes flavidalis
Polygrammodes oxydalis
46 NC Records
Polygrammodes flavidalis
(Guenée, 1854) - Ironweed Root Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea
Family:
Crambidae
Subfamily:
Pyraustinae
Tribe:
Spilomelini
P3 Number:
801334.00
MONA Number:
5228.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes (1923)
Adult Markings:
This is a rather distinctive species that has a pale-yellow ground color on the head, thorax, abdomen, and forewing. The forewing ground tends to shade more into a cream color towards the apex, and the costa is commonly shaded with reddish-brown on the basal two-thirds. The marks on the forewing are all well-defined and reddish brown, with blackish scales sometimes intermixed. The forewing of fresh specimens has two spots near the base, followed by a small orbicular spot below the costa and a reniform that is linear. The transverse lines are all irregularly wavy and consist of an antemedial that extends the full width of the wing at about one-fourth the wing length, a median that extends from the inner margin to near the reniform line, and the postmedial that is often broken, but usually extends the entire width of the wing from the costa to the tornus. The subterminal area has a linear sequence of six spots or u-shaped marks that parallel the termen and are sometimes connected to form a complete line. The fringe is concolorous with the adjoining ground color. The hindwing ground is concolorous with that of the forewing and has three transverse lines that resemble those on the forewing. The abdomen of unworn specimens also has pairs of reddish-brown spots on the basal segments.
Wingspan:
28-35 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
Forbes (1923) noted that the larvae are root borers in ironweeds (
Vernonia
) and usually pupate in stubs of plants of the previous year in June. Aaron Brees (BugGuide) successfully reared an adult from a larva that was boring in the roots of Smooth Ironweed (
V. fasciculata
). The larva was grub-like with a white, cylindrical body and an amber-colored head.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Polygrammodes flavidalis
is found in the eastern U.S. and Ontario from Massachusetts westward through the Great Lakes states to Minnesota, and southward to Oklahoma, eastern Texas, the Gulf Coast states, Florida and Georgia. As of 2023, our records are from the lower elevations in the Blue Ridge eastward to the eastern Piedmont, with one isolated record from 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 have been observed from March through October in different areas of the range, with the peak season from June through August. As of 2023, our records extend from late-May through mid-August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Local populations are generally associated with fragmented landscapes that support ironweeds. Typical habitats include mesic to wet areas of pastures, old fields, wildlife plots, roadways, powerline corridors, and streambanks.
Larval Host Plants:
The larvae feed on the roots of Ironweed, including Smooth Ironweed (
Vernonia fasciculata
; Forbes, 1923; Covell, 1984; Beadle and Leckie, 2012; Robinson et al., 2010; BugGuide). -
View
Observation Methods:
The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
General Forests and Fields
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:
This species is patchily distributed across the landscape wherever the host species occur. It appears to be reasonably secure since the hosts are often associated with disturbed habitats.
Photo Gallery for
Polygrammodes flavidalis
- Ironweed Root Moth
Photos: 20
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Tony McBride on 2023-07-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-23
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2023-07-17
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-21
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-14
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-08-22
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-07
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-16
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-07-31
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-16
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-29
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-18
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-15
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-07-04
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-17
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2018-08-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-06-22
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-30
Madison Co.
Comment: