Moths of North Carolina

sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
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Chrysendeton medicinalis Bold Medicine Moth MONA_number: 4744.00		This is a relatively small crambid. The thorax is coppery-colored with a prominent white scale tuft along each side. The forewing has a complex pattern that consists of a dark, ocherous ground color t...	Our records are mostly from mesic to hydric habitats, and often in the vicinity of bodies of water. ...	The food resources are undocumented but are suspected to be aquatic plants. ...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S3S4]	Chrysendeton medicinalis occurs throughout the state and can be locally common, but more information is needed on its habitat requirements and food resources before we can fully assess its cons...
Litoprosopus futilis Palmetto Borer MONA_number: 8556.00	One of five species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010)	A medium-sized, light grayish- to yellowish brown Erebid. The head, body, and wings are concolorous, "greyish fawn" (Grote and Robinson, 1868); transverse lines are darker brown, double, and often inc...	A breeding population has only been recorded in Beaufort in North Carolina, where it larvae were found feeding on planted Cabbage Palms. So far we do not have any records from Bald Head Island where o...	Larvae bore into the inflorescences of Cabbage Palm (Wagner et a., 2011), but have not been recorded on Dwarf Palmettos, our most common species...	This species appears to come poorly to lights. Caterpillars are known to come to bait (Wagner et al., 2011; J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.)...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 SU	Although larvae of this species have been found in Beaufort (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.), this species has yet to be observed at Bald Head Island -- despite extensive sampling -- where it could have it...
Lambdina athasaria MONA_number: 6894.10		...	...	...	...			...
Idaea scintillularia Diminutive Wave Moth MONA_number: 7105.00	One of thirty species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl et al., 2016). Thirteen have been recorded in North Carolina.	One of our smallest Geometrids and very strikingly marked in gray, yellow, and rufous. The large patch of dove gray covering the basal half of the forewing and a similar patch of mixed gray and rufous...	While a large number of our records come from residential areas, all of our records for natural habitats come from riparian forests or other shoreline habitats. Most are associated with brownwater ri...	Apparently unrecorded but members of this genus generally feed on forbs (Robinson et al., 2010)...	Our records were all obtained from blacklight sampling...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S3S4]	We have only a small number of records for this species. It appears to be at least somewhat specialized in terms of its habitats, which have generally not been heavily sampled. More surveys conducted ...
Endothenia montanana MONA_number: 2732.00		...	Recent NC records come from high elevation sites in Ash County containing fen or grassy bald habitats...	Larvae have been reported on Stachys species (Brown et al., 2008; Robinson et al., 2010)....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Sinoe robiniella MONA_number: 1834.00	Sinoe was traditionally treated as a monotypic genus that is restricted to the eastern US. It has since been split into four species. In a revision of the genus, Lee and Brown (2012) redescribed S. robiniella and recognized two additional species (S. chambersi; S. kwakae) that occur in North Carolina.	The following is based on the description in Lee and Brown (2012). The head and thorax are white with a mixture with gray and brown scales. The antenna is brownish gray and about two-thirds the length...	Local populations appears to primarily use Black Locust as a host, but other species are also used. Black Locust is common in edge habitats such as along roadways or fencerows, but also occurs in mesi...	Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)is the primary host throughout the range. There appears to be a valid record of this species using a Gleditsia species (Lee and Brown, 2012), and Robin...	The adults occasionally visit lights, and the bound leaflets have been found on Black Locust and occasionally on other hosts. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of populations within the state to assess the conservation status of this species. ...
Cameraria aesculisella MONA_number: 804.00	Cameraria is a genus of leaf-mining micromoths. Many species are stenophagous and specialize on a small number of closely related host species. There are currently more than 50 described species in North America.	The following description of the adults is based on Braun (1908). The antennae are whitish and banded above with dark brown. The face and palpi are white. The tuft is ocherous towards the front, but w...	The larvae feed on Buckeyes (Aesculus spp.), which are generally associated with rich hardwood forests, including riparian zones and mesic slopes. ...	The known hosts include Yellow Buckeye (A. flava), Ohio Buckeye (A. glabra), Red Buckeye (A. pavia), and Painted Buckeye (A. sylvatica; Eiseman, 2019; Robinson et al., 2010...	The adults appear to rarely visit lights. Records are best obtained by searching for the leaf mines in June and July and rearing the adults. Mines with overwintering larvae can also be found at other ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S3	...
Elachista illectella MONA_number: 1129.00	Elachista is a large genus of small moths that occur worldwide. Around 135 Nearctic species are currently recognized. They specialize on monocots and most feed on either grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae).	This is a minute fuscous to black-and-white moth, with the females darker and more boldly marked than the males. A narrow white band is located at the middle of the wing and a broken white band also o...	The adults can be found in a variety of habitats that range from fields, meadows, and roadsides to forested sites with woodland grasses. ...	The larvae are polyphagous and feed on several genera of grasses (Braun, 1948). The known hosts include Kentucky Blue Grass (Poa pratensis) and other Poa species, Common Timothy (Ph...	The adults are attracted to lights and the leaf mines can be found by searching grass leaves throughout the year. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [SU]	We currently do not have enough information on the distribution, host plants, or habitat associations of this species to draw any conclusions about its conservation status. ...
Satronia tantilla Southern Pine Catkinworm Moth MONA_number: 3415.00		The following description is based in part on that of Heinrich (1926). The antennae, palps, face and head vary from grayish white to light brown, while the thorax is grayish fuscous. The forewing grou...	This species is dependent on pine trees as hosts and is typically found in either pine forests or mixed pine-hardwood settings. ...	The larval feed primarily on pine catkins (Brown et al. 1983; Hedlin et al., 1980) and the known host include Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii) and Longleaf Pine (P. palustris). Other pines ...	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in pine catkins during the spring months. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2-S3]	This species is seemingly uncommon in North Carolina despite the widespread occurrence of pines in the state. We need more information on host use, distribution, and abundance before we can assess the...
Corticivora clarki MONA_number: 3446.00	This is one of three congeneric species that are found in North America north of Mexico (Brown, 1994).	The following is based in part on the description by Clarke (1951). The head and palps vary from creamy white to dull white and the antenna is dark grayish fuscous with paler annulations. The thorax a...	Local populations are generally associated with pine or mixed pine-hardwood forests. ...	Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) is the only known host (Clarke, 1951; Wagner et al., 2003), but other pines are likely used given that all of our records are outside of the range of this species in N...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Melanolophia canadaria Canadian Melanolophia Moth MONA_number: 6620.00		A medium-sized, brownish Geometrid that is very similar to Melanolophia signataria. The ground color is whitish in northern specimens but is darker in the South, heavily dusted with fucsous and...	...	Polyphagous, feeding on a very wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs; also on pines (Wagner, 2005)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S5	...
Melanolophia signataria Signate Melanolophia Moth MONA_number: 6621.00		A medium-sized, brown Geometrid that is very similar to Melanolophia canadaria. "Usually distinguished by its smoother look, more complete and less wavy markings and brown tint" (Forbes, 1948). The po...	Our records come from a wide range of forests, from maritime forests to northern hardwoods....	Larvae have been recorded on a wide range of tree species, including both conifers and hardwoods (Robinson et al., 2010). ...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S3S4	...
Bucculatrix sexnotata MONA_number: 529.00	Bucculatrix is a large genus of small leaf-mining moths, with around 300 species worldwide. A total of 103 Nearctic species have been described, and many others will likely be described in the future. Braun (1963) covered 99 species in her monograph, and four additional Nearctic species have been described since then.	This is a tiny, dark brown to blackish moth with oblique, silvery streaks. The head has an orange-red to dark brown tuft. The following description is from Braun (1963). The face is shining yellowish ...	Leaf mines of this species were abundant along a high ridge in the Great Smoky Mountains between 5,000 and 6,000 feet where they fed solely on E. divaricata (Braun, 1963). They have also been f...	The larvae feed on several species of asters (Eurybia; Symphyotrichum). The documented hosts include White Wood-aster (E. divaricata), Heartleaf Aster (S. cordifolium) New ...	The adults rarely visit lights, and many records are based on leaf mines or adults that were reared from mines. We recommend searching the leaves of E. divaricata or other fall asters during th...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2-S3]	Until recently discovered at Mt. Mitchell, B. sexnotata has not been recorded in North Carolina since 1953. There is a possibility that this species is a rare northern disjunct, but the distrib...
Eupithecia miserulata Common Eupithecia Moth MONA_number: 7474.00		The palps are long and porrect, with their dark, smokey brown color contrasting with the creamy-pale frons, which is crossed by narrow apical band of dark brown (McDunnough, 1949). The forewings are r...	We have records from a very wide variety of open and forested, dry and wet forests. Many records come from residential areas....	Larvae are highly polyphagous (Wagner, 2005). They are often found on flowers but also feed on a variety of woody trees and shrubs...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S5	...
Eupithecia jejunata MONA_number: 7486.00		"A small, insignificant species" (McDunnough, 1949). The forewings are short and broad, with a pointed apex (McDunnough; Rindge, 1985). The ground color of both pairs of wings is a general smoky gray....	Our records are all associated with fairly xeric oak woodlands. Along the coast, several records come from maritime forests or scrub; in the Fall-line Sandhills from fairly xeric barrens; and from the...	The early stages and food plant are unknown (Rindge, 1985)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 S3S4	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Cameraria betulivora Birch-leaf Blotchminer Moth MONA_number: 810.00	Cameraria is a genus of leaf-mining micromoths. Many species are stenophagous and specialize on a small number of closely related host species. There are currently more than 50 described species in North America.	The following is based primarily on the original description of a single female by Walsingham (1891) and illustrated by Braun (1908), as well as our own specimens from North Carolina. The antenna is g...	Our one historic record for this species (Braun, 1912) probably comes from a Cove Forest. The most recent collections are from mid- to higher elevation sites where birches are present locally....	The reported larval hosts include Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Paper Birch (B. papyrifera), and Gray Birch (B. populifolia (Robinson et al., 2010; Eiseman, 2019). In Nor...	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina, with most of our records from mid- to higher elevations in the mountains. We recommend searching for the mines on the upper surfaces of Yellow B...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	[GNR] SU	Populations that have been collected in North Carolina are mostly associated with mid- to higher-elevation communities with Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) or Sweet Birch (B. lenta)...
Cameraria caryaefoliella Pecan Leafminer Moth MONA_number: 811.00	Cameraria is a genus of leaf-mining micromoths. Many species are stenophagous and specialize on a small number of closely related host species. There are currently more than 50 described species in North America.	The following is based in part on Clemens' (1860) original description. The antenna is silvery with black annulations. The face is silvery and the tuft and thorax reddish orange. The forewings are red...	The larvae are specialists on hickories and walnuts, and are found through the state where the hosts occur. Habitats range from alluvial forests and stream edges to upland hardwood forests. ...	Eiseman (2019) lists the following documented hosts: Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis), Pignut Hickory (C. glabra), Pecan (C. illinoensis), Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata),...	Local populations are easily documented by searching for the conspicuous leaf mines, and the adults are relatively easy to rear from the mines. The adults are also attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S4S5	...
Lithophane petulca Wanton Pinion MONA_number: 9889.00	One of 51 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 25 of which have been recorded in North Carolina	...	Our records come from both bottomland hardwoods in the Piedmont and mesic forests in the Mountains....	Larvae feed on a number of hardwood trees and shrubs, including a number of species associated with riparian habitats, including Alder, Birch, Elm, Poplar, and Willow. Other hosts include Oak, Hickory...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S3S4	...
Ectoedemia quadrinotata MONA_number: 51.00	This genus includes 15 Nearctic species of very small, leaf-mining moths.	The following description of the adults is based on Braun (1917) and Wilkinson and Scoble (1979). The head and tufts are dark brown, and the palps are gray-brown with a gray luster. The eye-cap is sil...	Populations are found in a variety of habitats that support the host species. Examples include streambanks and floodplain forests, rich circumneutral forested slopes, and forest edges and openings. ...	The larvae feed on members of the Betulaceae, including Ironwood or American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), American Hazelnut (Corylus americana), American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virg...	The adults are rarely attracted to lights and most records are for adults that were reared from leaf mines. We recommend searching for occupied leaf mines on the undersides of Corylus, Carp...		GNR S2S4	We currently do not have sufficient data on the distribution and abundance of this species within the state to assess its conservation status. ...
Stigmella caryaefoliella MONA_number: 93.10	Members of the genus Stigmella are a group of small leaf-mining moths that typically create linear mines, although a few species form linear-blotch or blotch mines. Newton and Wilkinson (1982) recognized 51 species in their revision on the North American fauna, and new discoveries have since raised the total to around 57 species. Almost all species are specialists and rarely use more than one genus of host plants. Host-specificity, mine characteristics, and genitalic differences are helpful in recognizing closely related forms that are externally similar.	The following description of the adults is based on Braun (1917) and Wilkinson and Scoble (1979). The palps are gray and lustrous, and the antenna is purplish gray and lustrous. The tuft is pale ochre...	Stigmella caryaefoliella is a specialist on hickories and occurs in a variety of hardwood or mixed conifer-hardwood forests with the host species. ...	The known hosts include Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis), Pecan (C. illinoinensis), Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata), and Mockernut Hickory (C. tomentosa). In North Carolin...	The adults appear to rarely visit lights and most records are based on either leaf mines or adults that were raised from mines. We recommend searching for mines, and rearing and photographing the adu...		GNR S3S4	We have very few records for this species in North Carolina, which likely reflect the extent to which leaf-mining species have been undercollected, rather than true rarity. Additional data on the dis...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Eupsilia devia Lost Sallow MONA_number: 9939.00	A genus of the Northern Hemisphere with some 17 described species, including 8 in North America, with several more about to be described. North Carolina has 6 described and 1 undescribed species, some of which are extremely similar in wing pattern.	Adults easily distinguished by their liliac-brown color, with the basal area of the forewings frosted with grey. The transverse lines are pale and even, not dentate as in other species of Eupsilia ex...	Wagner et al. (2011) list fields, grasslands, wet meadows, marshes, and open woodlands as habitats used by this species. Our records come from wet-mesic, semi-rural sites in the Mountains....	Larvae feed on Asters and Goldenrods and form shelters by silking together leaves near the terminal shoot (Wagner et al, 2011). ...	Adults readily come to bait and have been collected in light traps, usually as singleton. The apparent rarity of this species may reflect a reluctance to respond to ultraviolet light. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S1S3	We have only a few records for this species, which may be a disjunct from the North. However, habitats and host plants do not appear to be limiting factors and more late and early season sampling nee...
Crambodes talidiformis Verbena Moth MONA_number: 9661.00		...	Wagner et al. (2011) list open areas as habitats used by this species, including fields, beaches, waste lots, sand plains, and wetlands. Our records come almost entirely from the Mountains, with most ...	Larvae feed on Vervains (Verbena species) (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S3S4	...
Agonopterix senicionella MONA_number: 881.00	Agonopterix is a large holarctic genus with more than 125 species, with most occurring in the Palearctic Region. Currently, there are 47 recognized species in North America. Our species are largely confined to the western mountains.	The following is based primarily on the original description by Busck (1902). The antenna is ocherous with narrow black annulations, and the labial palp is light ocherous overall. The second joint of ...	This species is found locally in moist to mesic deciduous forests, in woodland openings, along forest edge habitats, and in road corridors and other open sites where the host plant grows. ...	Agonopterix senicionella is one of only two moths that are known to use Packera aurea as a host plant, the other being Phyllocnistis insignis. Packera aurea produces pyrrol...	Local populations are most easily documented by looking for the rolled leaves of Golden Ragwort during April and May. This species was only recently documented in North Carolina, but appears to be loc...			Although this species was only recently documented in North Carolina, it can be locally abundant based on observations of leaf rolls. ...
Agonopterix canadensis Canadian Agonopterix Moth MONA_number: 878.00	Agonopterix is a large holarctic genus with more than 125 species, with most occurring in the Palearctic Region. Currently, there are 47 recognized species in North America. Our species are largely confined to the western mountains.	The following description is based primarily on that of Clarke (1941). The labial palp is pale ochreous-white and the second segment is evenly sprinkled with blackish fuscous exteriorly. The third se...	The habitats and host plants are poorly documented for eastern populations. Many of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods and other sites with a mixture of forests and edge habita...	This species is polyphagous, but the hosts that are used in the eastern US are poorly documented. Records from Canada (Robinson et al., 2010) include Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), Balsam Po...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	Populations appear to be restricted to the mountains in North Carolina, where they are sometimes locally common. The southern Appalachians appear to be at the southern limit of this species range and ...
Zeiraphera claypoleana Buckeye Petiole Borer Moth MONA_number: 3238.00		The following description is from Forbes (1923). The forewing is pale brownish gray and shaded heavily with sage green. The inner half towards the base is green and has a well-defined outer boundary t...	Yellow Buckeye appears to be the primary host of this species in the Blue Ridge and is one of the most characteristic plants of Rich Cove Forests. Although it grows as high as 6,000' in Northern Hard...	The larvae appear to feed on Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) throughout much of their range, and also use Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) in some areas (Litner, 1897; Robinson et al., 2010)....	The adults only occasionally come to lights, and most records are based on individuals that were reared from buckeyes. Populations are easy to document by searching for the wilted leaves of buckeyes d...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S4	We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species to accurately assess its conservation status....
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Amphipyra pyramidoides Copper Underwing MONA_number: 9638.00		...	Wagner et al. (2011) list woodlands and forests as habitats used by this species. Our records come from nearly all types of hardwood-dominated habitats, from maritime forests to high elevation oak for...	Larvae are widely polyphagous, feeding on hardwood trees, shrubs, and vines belonging to many families. Wagner (2005) specifically lists Acer, Carya, Castanea, Crataegus, <...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S5	...
Acleris celiana MONA_number: 3533.00		...	...	Reported host plants include alder, birch, hazelnut, cherry, and willow (Prentice, 1965; McDunnough, 1934; Robinson et al., 2010). The hosts that are used in North Carolina are unknown....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
Acleris bowmanana MONA_number: 3553.00		...	...	Reported hosts include Aronia, Myrica gale, Rubus, and Spiraea (Powell, 1964; Ferguson, 1975). It is unknown what hosts are used in North Carolina....	...			...
Acleris albicomana Red-edged Acleris Moth MONA_number: 3502.00		...	...	Larvae are reportedly polyphagous, with host plants including columbine, Gaylussacia, oak, rose, and blueberry (Godfrey et al., 1987; Kearfott, 1907b; Robinson et al., 2010). Which, if any, of ...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
Achyra rantalis Garden Webworm Moth MONA_number: 4975.00		...	...	Larvae are polyphagous, eating a variety of cultivated plants, including strawberries, soybeans, cotton, beans, peas, and corn (Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007)....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	[GNR] S4S5	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acasis viridata Olive-and-black Carpet Moth MONA_number: 7635.00	A Laurentine genus of 5 species that are widely dispersed across much of the Northern Hemisphere. A single species occurs in North America, including the mountains of North Carolina.	The small size and greenish color (which fades in pinned specimens) will allow identification of this species. Some species of Eupithecia appear greenish but the hue is different and the wing ...	Our records all appear to come from moist, fairly high elevation forests (from about 3000’ upward). This is consistent with the distribution of V. cassinoides, which Weakley (2015) descr...	Forbes (1948) lists Northern Wild Raisin (Viburnum cassinoides) as the foodplant but other species of Viburnum are suspected to be acceptable....	This species is clearly attracted to light but not likely to come to bait or flowers. The small size of adults probably results in it being overlooked often in light trap catches....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [SU]	We have very few records for this species, which appears to be fairly specialized in terms of its habitats. The cool, moist, montane habitats that this species occupies are likely to be highly vulnera...
Utetheisa ornatrix Ornate Bella Moth MONA_number: 8105.00	Although two species, ornatrix and bella, have been recognized in the past based on differences in coloration (e.g., Hodges et al., 1983; Covell, 1984; Schmidt and Opler, 2008), Forbes (1960) treated them as races, finding no differences in the genitalia and extensive intergradation between populations. This opinion was upheld by Lafontaine and Schmidt (2010), citing evidence from DNA bar-coding in addition to the lack of genitalic differences.	Unmistakeable, with conspicuous aposematic coloration: forewings are bright orange, pink, or yellow and crossed by several transverse white bands spotted with black; hindwings are pink with a black ou...	In the Coastal Plain, records all come from open, herbaceous habitats, including barrier island dunes and Longleaf Pine savannas, flatwoods, and sandhills. Records from the Great Smoky Mountains Nati...	Oliophagous, feeding primarily on Legumes with a preference for Rattlebox (Crotalaria spp.) (Forbes, 1960)...	Strictly diurnal; virtually all records are based on chance encounters rather than trapping or baiting...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands	G5 [SU]	Apparently uncommon and possibly a habitat specialist, but also probably undersampled due to its day-flying habits. More needs to be learned about its distribution, abundance, and habitat association...
Iodopepla u-album White-eyed Borer MONA_number: 9522.00	A New World genus with one species in Cuba and one in Eastern North America, including North Carolina. Long regarded as an isolated genus, we now know that the North American species is quite closely related to the genus Nedra based on barcodes, genitalia and life histories.	This is a medium-sized Noctuid with a dark purplish- or vinaceous ground color, dusted with gray. The u-shaped reniform has a contrasting white partial outline filled with the ground color and also so...	The vast majority of our records come from Longleaf Pine habitats, including wet savannas, mesic flatwoods, and xeric sandhills. However, we also have records from peatlands, river floodplains, lakesh...	Stenophagous, feeding on various species of St. Johnswort (Hypericum sp.). Nedra caterpillars also feed on species of St. Johns Wort (Hypericum sp.) and once it was realized that the genitalia of Iod...	Adults are attracted to light and caterpillars seem to remain on the foodplant and so should be found by beating. Nedra is said to come to bait but we have not seen similar behavior in Iodopepla....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	[G5 S4]	Iodopepla appears to be less widely distributed than Nedra ramosula, but appears to be far more common within at least certain habitats, particularly Longleaf Pine-dominated communities. Given its use...
Haploa colona Colona Moth MONA_number: 8108.00	One of six species currently recognized in North America, all of which occur in North Carolina	Adults are nearly unmistakeable, at least where the hindwings and abdomen are visible. Hind-wings are bright orange or yellow, which is true only for this species and clymene among the Haploas. The ...	Wagner (2005) lists habitats as "open areas, wetlands, and woodland." In North Carolina, most of our records come from Longleaf Pine habitats, including both wet savannas and dry-to-xeric sandhills. ...	Probably polyphagous, feeding on many species of herbaceous and woody plants, but possibly preferring species in the Asteraceae and Boraginaceae (Forbes, 1960; Wagner, 2005)....	Comes moderately well to blacklights, but none of our records come from bait; flushes easily during the day and appears to be at least partially diurnal...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands	G5 [S4]	Appears to be less common and more of a habitat specialist than H. clymene, and consequently probably more vulnerable to the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Nonetheless, it is found in two...
Dasychira tephra Tephra Tussock Moth MONA_number: 8292.00	One of 16 species in this genus that occur in North America, 10 of which have been recorded in North Carolina.	Males are typically uniformly gray brown with olive shadings and little contrast between green and brown areas (Ferguson, 1978); the pale patch found along the costa and cell is usually missing in the...	The majority of our records come from wet to mesic hardwood forests, although there are also a few from dry sandhill or ridgetop habitats. In the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, it occurs primarily in ri...	Stenophagous, feeding primarily or exclusively on oaks (Ferguson, 1978; Wagner, 2005). Ferguson found at least one larva on Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) but reared it on White Oak (Q. alba). He a...	Appears to come well to 15 watt UV lights. Adults do not feed, so do not come to bait or to flowers. Larvae are distinctive and should be looked for in order to better document their host plants. T...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 [S5]	Widespread in fairly common habitat types in North Carolina and apparently secure....
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Apamea lintneri Sand Wainscot Moth MONA_number: 9395.00	One of 64 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), 17 of which have been recorded in North Carolina	A medium-sized buffy, poorly marked Noctuid. The ground color of the forewings is yellowish-brown with the veins marked with white and variably shaded or speckled with black; transverse lines and spot...	This species is believed to be associated with coastal beach dunes throughout its range. The one record from North Carolina comes from Roanoke Island, which is located within a sound rather than along...	Probably monophagous on American Beach-grass (Ammophila breviligulata) (Mikkola et al., 2009)...	We have too little information to estimate how well this species comes to light or to bait...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 SH	The North Carolina record for this species is the furthest south, with the next closest record located in the Delmarva Peninsula (Mikkola et al., 2009). The northern Outer Banks -- particularly dune h...
Cissusa spadix Black-dotted Brown Moth MONA_number: 8592.00		...	Our records come from a wide range of wet, mesic, and dry forests, from the barrier islands to high mountains...	Larvae feed mainly on Oaks, including Red, White, and Live; may also feed on Hickories and other species during outbreaks (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 [S4]	...
Phoberia atomaris Common Oak Moth MONA_number: 8591.00		...	Our records come from a wide range of wet, mesic, and dry stands of hardwood forests...	Larvae feed on oaks (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S5	...
Cameraria ostryarella MONA_number: 832.00		The following description of the adults is based primarily on Braun (1908). The face and palps are white, while the antenna is whitish with brown annulations above. The ground color of the thorax and ...	Local populations are strongly affiliated with the host plants, American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) and American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana). Ostrya occurs in rich wood...	American Hop-hornbeam and American Hornbeam appear to be the primary hosts. As of 2022, all but two of our site records for North Carolina were based on leaf mines on American Hop-hornbeam. This spec...	We recommend searching for the rather conspicuous leaf mines on Ostrya and Carpinus during the late spring and summer months. We encourage individuals to rear and photograph the adults....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	This species was only recently discovered in North Carolina, which likely reflects the fact that little effort has been put forth to document leafminers within the state. ...
Cameraria corylisella MONA_number: 817.00	This is one of over 50 Cameraria species that have been described from North America.	The forewings of the adults have a light tawny ground color that is overlain with three narrow white bands that are edged on the posterior margin with black. The subterminal band is broken, and there ...	This species primarily uses hazelnuts as hosts and local populations mostly occur where hazelnuts are present. Our two native species of hazelnuts occur in a wide variety of habitats that range from ...	Cameraria corylisella is a rather specialized leafminer that uses both beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) and American Hazelnut (C. americana). It also uses American Hornbeam (C...	Local populations are most easily located by searching for the distinctive leaf mines that occur on hazelnut leaves. The adults appear to only occasionally come to lights....		GNR S2S4	North Carolina is at the southernmost range limit of Cameraria corylisella. This species was only recently discovered in North Carolina and we have only 10 records as of 2022. The previous sou...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Epimartyria auricrinella Goldcap Moss-eater Moth MONA_number: 1.00	Epimartyria auricrinella is a member of the Micropterigidae, which is one of the most ancient moth families. Fossil micropterigids as old as 140 million year ago are known from the lower Cretaceous. This is one of only three members of this genus in North America, and the only Epimartyria in the eastern US.	This is a rather distinctive moth with a head that is covered with light orange brown hairs, and a widely rounded forewing that is dark fuscous, with a coppery or golden to purplish luster dorsally (D...	Epimartyria auricrinella is strongly affiliated with shaded, mesic to hydric habitats that support leafy liverworts, and in particular Bazzania trilobata. Examples include bogs, humid hi...	The only documented host is a leafy liverwort, Bazzania trilobata. Other Bazzania species occur in North Carolina that might be potential hosts, and much remains to be learned about the...	The adults are diurnal and only occasionally visit UV lights. Specimens are best obtained by gently sweep-netting the understory of humid forests, or sweeping clumps of liverworts. The adults are ofte...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina due to its apparent strong reliance on a leafy liverwort (Bazzania trilobata) as a host plant. We are uncertain if a recently discovery pop...
Stenoptinea unidentified species MONA_number: 297.01		...	...		...			...
Celiptera frustulum Black Bit Moth MONA_number: 8747.00		...	Records from the Mountains and Piedmont come from both forests and semi-open and disturbed sites where Black Locust can be expected to occur. Records from the Coastal Plain come from sand ridges and w...	Larvae have been reared on Black Locust (Robinson et al., 2010; Wagner et al., 2011). Coastal Plain records -- where Black Locust is sparsely present -- suggest that other Legumes are probably used, i...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4S5	...
Basicladus tracyi MONA_number: 450.00	The family Psychidae contains as many as 1,350 species that are found worldwide. The females of many species are flightless, and the larvae of all species live in constructed cases or bags, hence the name bagworms. Basicladus is a small genus with only two recognized species.	The males of this species are light brown throughout with strongly rounded wing tips. The antenna has 28-34 segments, is broadly bipectinate, and gradually decreases in width to the apex. The pectinat...	Jones (1911, 1922) noted that the larvae are typically found in wet, sunny places on sedges, grasses, and rushes, and occasionally on low growing herbaceous plants and shrubs. Our records are from pin...	The known hosts include the flower petals of Pale Pitcherplant (Sarracenia alata), along with unspecified grasses, sedges, and rushes. Jones (1911) noted that grasses seem to be the preferred ...	The males are attracted to lights, and the cases with larvae can be found on appropriate host plants. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S3]	This species is seemingly uncommon to rare in much of its range. ...
Melanchra picta Zebra Caterpillar Moth MONA_number: 10293.00		...	...	...	...		G5 S1S2	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Anania funebris White-spotted Sable Moth MONA_number: 4958.00		...	Our records come wet meadows and old field habitats in the Mountains...	Larvae have been recorded on Goldenrod (Covell, 1984)....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S3	...
Pseudexentera sepia MONA_number: 3252.10	The genus Pseudexentera currently has 19 recognized species that are found primarily in North and Central America, with 17 recognized species in the US. They are typically found in forested settings and most fly very early in the year. Many are challenging to identify, particularly the species with fasciate forewing patterns that often show substantial intraspecific variation in patterning and have slight differences in genitalia (Miller, 1968; Gilligan et al., 2008). There has been a long history of misidentified species in the group (Miller, 1968) and there is still much confusion about external traits that are useful in sorting out certain closely related forms. DNA barcoding has not proven to be particularly useful in sorting out species since recognized species often have two or more BINS that contain multiple species names. This likely reflects weak genetic differentiation between certain forms and the large numbers of misidentified specimens in collections. Miller (1968) conducted a taxonomic revision and reviewed all of the recognized species in North America, but did not provide detailed descriptions of external coloration, patterning, or intraspecific variation within species. Here, we treat our assignment of the fasciate specimens to species as provisional since they are based on images or pinned specimens that have not been barcoded or dissected to examine genitalia. Even with the latter, specimens cannot always be confidently assigned to species.	The colors of this species are predominantly light brown (Miller, 1986). The scales on the head, thorax, and abdomen vary from light brown to a mixture of white and brown scales. The ground of the for...	Our records are mostly from areas with hardwood forests, including semiwooded residential neighborhoods. ...	The larval host plants are unknown (Miller, 1986)...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	We have several documented populations from throughout the state, but currently do not have sufficiently detailed information on habitat requirements, hosts, and abundance to assess the conservation s...
Xenotemna pallorana MONA_number: 3693.00		...	...		...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
Papaipema nepheleptena Turtle Head Borer MONA_number: 9490.00	One of 44 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 30 of which have been recorded in North Carolina	...	Our one record for this species comes from a rich cove forest...	Larvae feed on Turtleheads, including Chelone glabra (Robinson et al., 2010)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S1S3	...
Olethreutes monetiferanum MONA_number: 2774.00		...	...	Larva feed on Aesculus flava (Gibson and Merkele, 2006)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	[GNR] S1S3	...