Gelechiidae

Caryocolum pullatella No common name

10 9 8 n=3 7 High Mt. 6 N 5 • u 4 3 • m 2 • b 1 e 0 r 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 • 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 NC counties: 5 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec • o 10 f 9 n=1 = Sighting or Collection 8 • 7 Low Mt. High counts of: in NC since 2001 F 6 l 5 3 - Avery - 2015-06-18 = Not seen since 2001 4 • i 3 1 - Haywood - 2002-06-10 g 2 Status Rank h 1 1 - Macon - 1958-07-05 0 NC US NC Global t 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 D Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec a 10 10 9 9 t 8 n=0 8 n=1 e 7 Pd 7 CP s 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Three periods to each month: 1-10 / 11-20 / 21-31 FAMILY: SUBFAMILY: Gelechiinae TRIBE: Gnorimoschemini TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: The Caryocolum contains over 75 species of small that are mostly found in the Old World. Six species occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl et al., 2016), and C. pullatella is the only one that has been recorded in North Carolina.

FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: ONLINE PHOTOS: MPG, BugGuide, BOLD TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Huemer (1988, p.495) TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES:

ID COMMENTS: This is a very small with narrow wings that are held flat at rest, forming a long rectangle when viewed from above. The head and thorax are brown, but the face is whitish. The labial palp is recurved, with a brush of raised scales on the underside of the second segment. The palp is whitish on inner surface of the second segment, while the outer surface and third segment are mottled dark brown to black. The forewing pattern and color are variable. The ground color is usually mottled dark brown to blackish and has a white costal and a white tornal patch at about four-fifths the wing length. These sometimes form a continuous band across the wing, but are usually isolated spots. A medial white patch is present at about one-half the wing length and a second at about one-fourth that is less distinct. Orange-brown dorsal and costal spots are sometimes present. Caryocolum cassella is similar but occurs primarily in the West (one record exists for Kentucky). Caryocolum protectum has been recorded in Kentucky, but differs from C. pullatella in that the forewing is clay-colored and lacks a distinct pattern (Huemer, 1988).

DISTRIBUTION: Caryocolum pullatella is found in north-temperate regions of Eurasia and , as well as in North America. Populations have been found in most of southern Canada, from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island in the East. In the US, specimens have been documented in Colorado, in the Pacific Coast states, and in North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. As of 2021, all except one of our records are from lower to higher elevations in the Blue Ridge. We have one unusual record from the Sandhills.

FLIGHT COMMENT: Huemer (1988) noted that local populations are probably univoltine, but with a prolonged flight. Records for areas outside of North Carolina extend from May through October, with a seasonal peak in May and June. Our records as of 2021 are from June and July, except for a Sandhills record from mid-October.

HABITAT: The habitats are not recorded for the sites where this species has been recorded in North Carolina.

FOOD: The hosts species are undocumented, but members of the C. marmoreum group feed on members of the Caryophyllaceae, including Cerastium and Silene (Huemer, 1988).

OBSERVATION_METHODS: The adults comes to lights to some extent.

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: GNR [SU]

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

COMMENTS: We presently have few records for this Holarctic species in North Carolina. More information is needed on its distribution, host plants, and habitat affinities in North Carolina before we can assess its conservation status. March 2021 The Moths of North Carolina - Early Draft 1