Moths of North Carolina
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12 NC Records

Chrysoteuchia topiarius (Zeller, 1866) - Topiary Grass-veneer Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: CrambinaeTribe: CrambiniP3 Number: 800926.00 MONA Number: 5391.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based on descriptions by Fernald (1896) and Forbes (1923). The palps, head and thorax are ashy-gray, and the ground of the forewing varies from ashy-gray to clay-colored or orangish-brown. The ground color becomes a deeper yellowish to yellowish-orange on the apical fourth of the wing. Most specimens have a series of dark fuscous, longitudinal or oblique stripes between the veins. The subterminal line is silvery gray and angled outwardly near the center of the wing. It is margined basally by a narrow, dark-brown line of scales, followed by a wider yellowish to yellowish-orange line of similar width. A brown oblique costal line is present that starts before the middle of the costa, then runs obliquely inward and stops before reaching the subterminal line. A similar but shorter line parallels the first, and there is an oblique leaden streak in the apical portion of the subterminal space, which is otherwise yellowish to yellowish-orange. The terminal line is black and extends from the apex to beyond the middle where it is replaced by three black dots. The fringe is silvery gray, and the hindwing pale gray to dark gray with a whitish fringe, along with a darker terminal line that does not reach the anal angle.
Wingspan: 16-22 mm (Fernald, 1896).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The following summary of the life cycle is based on that of Hodgson and Roe (2007) where the larvae feed on turf grass, and Scammell (1917) and Mahr (2005) for larvae feeding in cranberries. Local populations are univoltine, with the adults emerging during the summer months and actively flying for 6-8 weeks. After mating, females drop several hundred eggs per week either on grass blades or the leaf litter in cranberry beds. A female can lay as many as 700 eggs with up to 300 deposited the first day (Mahr, 2005). The eggs are oval, about 0.4-0.5 mm long, and hatch in 9-11 days. When feeding on grasses, the young larvae burrow down into the thatch layer or upper soil layer and feed on the crowns and roots. They usually build upright cases made of silk and leaf debris that function as shelters. When feeding on cranberries the larvae eat through the bark of the subterranean runners, which can completely sever the vine. More commonly, they gnaw the bark completely around a runner (girdling), which kills the vine beyond that point. The roots can also be attacked. Feeding typically occurs in the open beneath a layer of leaf litter so that the larvae are hidden from view. The larvae continue to feed until cooler temperatures in the fall signal the pre-pupae to spin a tough silken cocoon in the soil and overwinter as dormant larvae. Pupation occurs within the cocoon after the prepupae aestivate for a substantial period after the return of warmer spring weather (Ainslie, 1916), with the adult emerging about three weeks later (Scammell, 1917).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Chrysoteuchia topiarius is widely distributed across much of the central and northern U.S., Alaska, and southern Canada where it occurs from the Northwest Territories and British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the conterminous U.S., it has been documented in every state except Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Blue Ridge, where this species appears to reach its southernmost limits in eastern North America.
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 from April through October in different areas of the range, with June trough August the peak months in most areas. As of 2023, our records range from early-July to early-August. This species is univoltine in North Carolina.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Most of our records are from mesic forested habitats, but with early successional or disturbed habitats such as road corridors and meadows nearby.
Larval Host Plants: This species appears to be somewhat polyphagous, but feeds primarily on grasses. It can be a significant pest in lawns and commercial grass seed and turf production, as well as in cranberry bogs (Fernald, 1896; Forbes, 1923; Beckwith, 1925; Crawford and Harwood, 1959; Robinson et al., 2010). Grasses that are used include Redtop Bentgrass (Agrostis gigantea), Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata), Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea), Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), Timothy (Phleum pratense), Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Red Fescue (Festuca rubra), but others are undoubtedly used. Other reported hosts include seedlings of firs (Abies sp.) and Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in nursery operations, Sheep Sorrel (Acetosa acetosella) and Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), where the larvae can cause significant plant damage in both natural bogs and commercial operations. Scammell (1917) also noted that Olney's Threesquare (Schoenoplectus americanus) is readily used when growing in cranberry bogs. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2-S3]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is uncommon in North Carolina where it reaches the southern limit of its range in eastern North America. We need additional information on its host plants and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status in North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Chrysoteuchia topiarius - Topiary Grass-veneer Moth

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Doug Blatny / Jackie Nelson on 2011-07-18
Ashe Co.
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