Moths of North Carolina

sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
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Platynota idaeusalis Tufted Apple Bud Moth MONA_number: 3740.00		The following description is based primarily on that of Forbes (1923) and Powell and Brown (2012). The vertex and labial palps are usually ashy gray, but sometimes rusty gray in the males. The female forewing is distinctive in having a narrow, often blackish, posteriorly oblique line of raised scales near the middle. The line divides the wing into a basal gray portion and a distal darker portion that often has a mixture of reddish-brown and grayish coarse mottling. Lines of raised striae are present on the distal half that are often blackish. The males are occasionally two-toned like the females, but more commonly are more uniformly colored with varying mixtures of reddish-brown to dark gray patterning. In many specimens dark gray or blackish-brown coloration tends to prevail in the subcostal region, and reddish-brown coloration on the dorsal two-thirds of the distal half of the wing. The fringe of both sexes varies from dull gray to reddish-brown, and the hindwing varies from dull gray to dull brown with a slightly paler fringe. Both the males and females have elongated palps and a dark, round blotch near the distal end of the discal cell of the forewing. Females are easily distinguished by their two-toned wing pattern and large size (forewing length usually >9.0 mm), but the males are easy to confuse with P. semiustana and P. exasperatana. All three species have a male costal fold of similar length (less than one-half the length of the forewing), and all have extremely similar male and female genitalia that are of little value in sorting out species. Platynota idaeusalis males usually can be distinguished by their larger size (forewing length usually >7.0 mm) and subtle differences in forewing pattern. The males lack the white or cream scaling on the dorsum of the labial palpus, head, and thorax that is typical of P. exasperatana, while P. semiustana males differ in having a dark palp and head, and a lighter band on the terminal fifth of the wing.	This wide-ranging species can be found in a wide array of habitats. Examples include hardwood and mixed hardwood-conifer forests, forest edges, early successional habitats, fencerows, apple and other fruit orchards, and residential neighborhoods. In North Carolina this species is common in semi-wooded residential neighborhoods. It also occurs is hardwood forests in the Piedmont, in mesic high elevation forests in the mountains, as well as in more xeric habitats in coastal areas, including barrier islands.	Larvae are widely polyphagous and feed on trees, shrubs, vines and forbs (Dyar, 1904; Meyrick, 1938; Prentice, 1966; Meagher and Hull, 1986; Godfrey et al., 1987; Santos-Gonzales et al., 1998; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Powell and Brown 2012, Gilligan and Epstein, 2014). In the eastern United States, it is a significant pest of apples (Chapman and Lienk, 1971). The reported hosts include Box-elder (Acer negundo), birches (Betula), Ceanothus, Clematis, Roughleaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii), Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera), domesticated apples (Malus domestica), Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana), Carolina Laurel Cherry (Prunus caroliniana), peaches (P. persica), European Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), willows (Salix), Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), nightshades (Solanum), goldenrods (Solidago), clovers (Trifolium), blueberries (Vaccinium), New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis), Smooth Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium), and grapes (Vitis). In North Carolina, larvae have been reared from Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) and Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum).	The adults are attracted to lights and pheromone traps.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S4S5	Populations are widespread and common in North Carolina and appear to be secure.
Eucosma ochroterminana Buff-tipped Eucosma MONA_number: 2929.00	Eucosma ochroterminana is one of five species with similar genitalia that Wright and Gilligan (2015) recognized as the parmatana species group.	This is a distinctive species that has a light brownish head and a blackish-brown forewing, except for the apical fourth that is mottled with light brownish yellow. The following detailed description is based in part of that of Kearfott (1907a). The head and palps have elongated scales that are light brown, while the antenna is dark brown and lighter towards the base. The patagia is light brown and the thorax light brown with a dark brown streak on the posterior half. The inner three-fourth of the forewing is dull blackish-brown and is flecked with a few brown scales. Faint darker-black lines are often evident, and a few brown scales are present at the extreme base. The apical fourth of the wing and the fringe is light brownish yellow and usually mottled with slightly darker scaling. The ocellus is slightly lighter than the surrounding areas and has two or three horizontal black lines. The hindwing is light smoky brown and becomes lighter towards the base. The fringe is paler, with both a darker and a paler line at the base. The tibiae and tarsi are annulated and streaked with blackish-brown.	Local population are typically associated prairies, old-fields, and other early-successional sites that support goldenrods.	Observations of host use are very limited. Putman (1942) observed larvae that were feeding on the flowers of Tall Goldenrod (Solidago altissima).	The adults are attracted to lights. More information is needed on host use in North Carolina.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [S3S4]	This species uses early successional habitats which are common in North Carolina. Scattered populations have been found throughout the Piedmont and Blue Ridge and populations appear to be secure.
Hellinsia paleaceus Ironweed Plume Moth MONA_number: 6207.00				Larvae reportedly feed on ironweeds (Robinson et al., 2010). Our only feeding record is for New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Zanclognatha marcidilinea Yellowish Zanclognatha MONA_number: 8352.00	One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010; 2013; Wagner and McCabe, 2011), all of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Formerly, this species was identified as "jacchusalis" (e.g., see Forbes, 1956; Hodges et al., 1983; Covell, 1984), but was re-identified as "marcidilinea" by Lafontaine and Honey (2009) (see also Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), based on an examination of the type specimen. As another result of this analysis, the name "jacchusalis" was re-applied to the species that had formerly been known as "ochreipennis".	One of the larger species of Zanclognatha, marcidilinea is pale luteous- or gray-brown that is lightly and evenly dusted with fuscous scales (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian is waved and the postmedian is slightly dentate; both are fairly weakly marked. The subterminal is the strongest marking and is straight and yellow (Forbes, 1954; Lafontaine and Honey, 2009). Jacchusalis, as now known, is more ochre and more heavily dusted or mottled with brown; it also has a more deeply dentate postmedian line (Forbes, 1954; Lafontaine and Honey, 2009). In general, the antemedian and postmedian are both much more prominent in jacchusalis, but the subterminal is thinner, with a preceding dark shade (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.).	Our records come from both wet-mesic and dry-xeric stands of hardwoods	Larvae may feed on dead leaves and detritus like other members of this genus		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [S4S5]
Leucospilapteryx venustella None MONA_number: 698.00	Leucospilapteryx is a small genus in the family Gracillariidae with only three recognized species. Leucospilapteryx venustella is the only one that occurs in North America.	The following is primarily based on the description by Forbes (1923). The head and eye-cap are silvery white, while the labial palp is white with two blackish spots. The antenna is dark brown. The forewing has a dark brown to brownish black ground color. There is a well-defined white streak that extends along the inner margin from the base to about half way to the apex. The costa has a small white costal spot at about one-fourth. This is followed by three ragged-edged, white streaks that are roughly equidistant. The first two are oblique posteriorly, straight, and run parallel to each other. They sometimes continue as a faint broken or fragmented streak that reaches well beyond the mid-point of the wing. The third is weakly oblique posteriorly and more curved. The cilia has a white patch with a dark margin, and contains a black dot. The fringe is mouse gray and mixed with white. The front and middle legs are brownish black except for the tarsi, which are whitish with fine black spots near the joints. The rear legs are white with brownish black bands. Individuals posture with the front legs raised, much like Acrocercops or Caloptilia species. Leucospilapteryx venustella is superficially similar to Acrocercops astericola, but the latter lacks a well-defined white streak that extends along the inner margin from the base to near the first dorsal blotch.	The larvae feed on a variety of species in the Asteraceae, including many that are found in open, sunny habitats with moist to drier soils. Representative habitats included disturbed sites such as agricultural fields, roadways, forest edges, and waste areas, as well as woodland paths and mesic forests.	The larvae are polyphagous and mine the leaves of composites, including species of Ageratina, Ambrosia, Bidens, Eutrochium, Mikania, Pseudognaphalium and Rudbeckia (Eiseman, 2022). As of 2024, hosts that have been documented in North Carolina include White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima), Annual Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Spanish-needles (Bidens bipinnata), Bearded Beggarticks (B. aristosa), Climbing Hempweed (Mikania scandens), Joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium sp.), Fragrant Rabbit-tobacco (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium), and Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata).	The adults occasionally visit UV lights, but many of our records are based on leaf mines.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	This species is undoubtedly more widespread in the state than our records through 2023 indicate.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Phosphila miselioides Spotted Phosphila MONA_number: 9619.00	A New World genus of some 8 species of which 3 occur in the United States and 2 in North Carolina. Together with Acherodoa ferraria, they are the only members of the tribe Phosphilini in our state. Placement of the tribe is uncertain (Wagner et al, 2011).	The greenish color pattern will differentiate this species from most other moderately-sized Noctuids. Two forms are found, with and without a large white reniform spot. Freshly emerged individuals are quite striking.	Found wherever the plant genus Smilax occurs, including dry maritime dunes, scrub, and forests; peatlands; Longleaf Pine savannas and flatwoods; floodplain forests; and mesic forests, including Cove Forests and Northern Hardwoods in the Mountains.	Larvae feed on greenbriers (Smilax) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on Roundleaf Greenbrier (S. rotundifolia).	Adults are attracted to light but we are unaware of any reports of them visiting flowers. They do come to bait at times.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]	Widespread and occupies a wide range of fairly common habitats. Appears to be secure within the state.
Platynota flavedana Black-shaded Platynota MONA_number: 3732.00		The following is based in part on the descriptions by Powell and Brown (2012). This species shows substantial variation between the sexes, as well as significant variation within sexes. The head and palps typically vary from rusty brown to blackish-brown. In males, most of the forewing is densely mottled with dark brown and/or dark reddish brown. The distal one-fifth differs in being pale whitish or yellowish, while the basal fifth and thorax are also lighter, but usually less so than the distal one-fifth. The hindwing is pale tan, with a distinct anal fold that is indicated by an unscaled, membranous ridge. Males are occasionally encountered that lack the densely mottled dark coloration that covers much of the wing. They have a conspicuous costal fold that extends beyond the middle of the costa. In females, the palps are substantially longer than the males, and the forewing ground is light brown or pale reddish-brown and lacks the heavy dark mottling seen in the males. They commonly have a broad, posteriorly oblique dark brown facia that extend from the costa at around one-third to the inner margin between one-half and two-thirds. The fascia often merges with a diffuse, reddish-brown blotch along the inner margin that extends apically towards the subtornal area. A triangular costal patch is also present at around three-fourth that often extends inward as a progressively narrowing band. Both the males and the females usually have a series of raised, irregular ridges that are generally most prevalent in the subterminal area. Powell and Brown (2012) note that the males of P. rostrana and P. flavedana are often extremely similar given the broad range of variation in forewing maculation present in each. Both have extremely similar genitalia as well, with similar degrees of variation. Males of P. rostrana differ from those of P. flavedana by having complex scaling of the frons that produces a hood-like structure, and in having long orange sex scaling along the anal margin of the hindwing. In North Carolina, these species are usually distinguishable based on the wing coloration and patterning. On P. flavedana, the basal one-fifth and terminal one-fifth of the wing is pale whitish or yellowish and contrast with the overall blackish central region. The basal fifth on P. rostrana is not as noticeably contrasting with the central portion of the wing, and the wing is not heavily mottled or dusted with black. The costal triangle and associated black spot, along with a line of dark scales on the anterior of the thorax, are also useful in distinguishing P. rostrana from P. flavedana.	Platynota flavedana uses a variety of habitats that include hardwood and mixed hardwood-conifer forest, woodland edges, fields and fencerows, powerline corridors, roadways and residential neighborhoods. We have records from both mesic and bottomland sites as well as xeric sandhill and dune communities.	The larvae are higly polyphagous and feed on a variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, including cultivated crops and orchard plantings (Fernald, 1882; Bottimer, 1926; Meyrick, 1938; Chapman and Lienk, 1971; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Powell and Brown, 2012). The reported hosts include maples (Acer), pigweed (Amaranthus), Peanut (Arachis hypogaea), milkweed (Asclepias), Aster, False Indigo (Baptisia australis), Water-hemlock (Cicuta maculata) citrus, carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus), Yankeeweed (Eupatorium compositifolium) and other Eupatoriums, strawberries (Fragaria), cotton (Gossypium), Hedera, sunflowers (Helianthus), Common St. John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum), Boxthorn (Lycium), cultivated apple (Malus domestica), White Sweet-clover (Melilotus alba), Alfalfa (M. sativa), Eastern Parthenium (Parthenium integrifolium), Rough Cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica), Carolina Laurel Cherry (Prunus caroliniana), Peaches (Prunus persica), raspberries (Rubus), Rhododendrons (Rhododendron), Roses (Rosa), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), Bagpod (Sesbania vesicaria), Kidneyleaf Rosinweed (Silphium compositum), clovers (Trifolium), elms (Ulmus), blueberries (Vaccinium), Mullein (Verbascum), Ironweed (Veronica), and Black-eyed Pea (Vigna unguiculata). The documented hosts in North Carolina as of 2025 include Kidneyleaf Rosinweed, Carolina Laurel Cherry, and Dog-fennel.	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be observed in leaf folds or ties on the host plants.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S5	This is a common and widespread species in the state and populations appear to be secure.
Caloptilia superbifrontella Witch-hazel Caloptilia MONA_number: 641.00	Caloptilia is a large genus with nearly 300 described species; 64 species have been described in North America north of Mexico. The larvae begin as leaf-mining sap-feeders, but the latter instars usually exit the mines and feed within a conical roll that begins at the leaf apex or at the tip of a leaf lobe.	The upper head and forewings have a light reddish-violet ground color. The remainder of the forewing consists of a pale yellow streak on the inner margin at the base, and a conspicuous pale yellow costal patch that extends from about one-quarter of the basal region to near the apex. The patch is widest near the median area and narrows posteriorly. The pale yellow streak at the base of the wings often continues to the thorax and head. Unlike many Caloptilia, this species lacks a row of minute dark dots along the costal margin within the yellow costal patch. The cilia are dark fuscous with two darker bands usually present. The femur and tibia of the front and middle leg are dark brown and contrast with the white tarsi below. Dark marks near the tarsal joints are either absent or weakly developed, and the rear leg is pale straw to whitish. The palps are whitish to pale yellow with dark tips. Caloptilia azaleella is somewhat similar but typically has conspicuous black spots near the tarsal joints, a row of minute dark dots along the costal margin, and lacks the yellow streak at the base of the forewing.	Adults oviposit on Witch Hazel, which occurs statewide in a variety of forested settings that range from moderately dry to mesic conditions. Examples include oak-hickory forests, mesic mixed hardwoods, pine-hardwoods, and floodplain forests.	Larvae feed on Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Tracy Feldman found mines that resemble those of this species on Coastal Witch-alder (Fothergilla gardenii) in North Carolina (Eiseman, 2019), which is also a member of the family Hamamelidaceae. Further observations and the rearing of adults would be helpful in confirming the use of Fothergilla in North Carolina.	Adults are attracted to UV-lights. Local population can be easily documented by searching for leaf rolls on Witch-hazel and Fothergilla. This is the only leaf-rolling species that feeds on these host plants.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S4
Eupithecia affinata None MONA_number: 7495.00				Larval hosts are poorly documented. BugGuide lists Aureolaria, but does not provide a source.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU [S2S3]
Uresiphita reversalis Genista Broom Moth MONA_number: 4992.00		In this species, the head, thorax and ground of the forewing are concolorous and vary from tannish-brown to dark reddish-brown. The antemedial line, postmedial line, orbicular and reniform spots are dark brown to reddish-brown and sometimes obscure on dark individuals. The postmedial line is bowed outward on the costal half of the wing and usually broken into a series of dots. The hindwing is yellow except for a zone of fuscous scales at the apex. The abdomen is also yellow and contrasts sharply with the brownish thorax and head. This species resembles Oenobotys vinotinctalis, but the latter has a prominent dark-brown spot on each foreleg and a brownish abdomen and hindwing. It also resembles Herpetogramma phaeopteralis that is similar to O. vinotinctalis, but lacks the prominent spot on the forelegs.	Populations are generally found locally where lupines and wild indigo are present. The habitats include xeric to mesic sites in the Coastal Plain, residential neighborhoods where the hosts are increasingly planted as ornamentals, and open woods and slopes.	The larvae feed on legumes, and usually ones that contain toxins such as alkaloids (Allyson, 1981; Bernays and Montllor, 1989; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al, 2010). Legumes that are used in eastern North America include False Indigo-bush (Amorpha fruticosa), White Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba), Tall Blue Wild Indigo (B. australis), Yellow Wild Indigo (B. tinctoria), Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), and Blue Sandhill Lupine (Lupinus diffusus). In the western United States broom (Genista spp.) and Necklace Pod (Sophora tomentosa) are commonly used. Heppner (2007) listed Common Saltwort (Salsola kali) and Forbes (1923) reported honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) as hosts, but these need to be verified with additional observations. The known hosts in North Carolina are all legumes and include Amorpha fruticosa, Baptisia alba, B. australis, B. tinctoria, and Lupinus diffusus. Larvae are frequently recorded by the public defoliating Amorpha, Baptisia, and other ornamentals planted in their yards, and are considered by some to be a pest.	The adults are attracted to lights and the boldly marked larvae are commonly seen feeding in the open during the day.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S5]	This is a widespread and common species in North Carolina that appears to be secure, especially given its willingness to feed on ornamental plantings in suburban and urban settings.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Norape cretata White Flannel Moth MONA_number: 4650.00	One of three members of this genus in North America and the only eastern representative.	Norape cretata is smaller than other flannel moths and slimmer in build. The forewing, hindwing, body, palps, and legs are satiny-white, and the base of the forewing and head have tufts of long, white, silky hairs. The body is stout and hairy, and the wings are rounded. The male's antenna is broadly pectinate and orangish. If not examined closely, N. ovina could easily be passed off as Hyphantria cunea or any of several species of the unmarked forms of Spilosoma. It can be separated from those species by the proportionally shorter and rounder wings, the long, straight hairs that protrude upward from the thorax, and the orange, pectinate antennae.	This species prefers wooded to open habitats, particularly those that support Eastern Redbud. Most of our records are from residential areas, with a few from more natural, forested sites.	Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) appears to be the most important host, but several other species are also used (Forbes, 1923; Hyche, 2002; Wagner 2005; Heppner, 2007). The other reported host include Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), hackberries (Celtis), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), greenbriar (Smilax), and elms (Ulmus). In North Carolina, we have several records for larvae feeding on Eastern Redbud and one on Honey Locust. Larvae feed communally in large numbers and David George has recorded hundreds defoliating redbuds in an urban park in Durham. He also noted a few larvae eating an American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) that was adjacent to the redbuds. Most likely, they were only using this secondary host after the preferred host had been defoliated.	Almost all of our adult records come from the use of blacklights (one from building lights), but very few from traps as opposed to sheets. This suggests that it may settle fairly quickly once drawn into a light source and may be significantly undersampled where traps are used alone. Adults of this family have reduced mouth parts and probably do not feed; consequently, we have no records from bait or flowers. The larvae are commonly seen on Eastern Redbud and occasionally on other host plants.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it in state parks and on other public lands.	G4 [S3S4]	Norape cretata can be locally abundant in the Piedmont where Eastern Redbud is present and appears to be secure within the state.
Natada nasoni Nason's Slug Moth MONA_number: 4679.00	This is one of only two representatives of this genus in North America and the only one to occur in the East.	In this species the thorax and head tend to be rusty brown and the antennae and palps brown. The ground color of the forewing varies from grayish brown to yellowish brown and has scattered, dark brown flecking throughout. The forewing has two dark, straight lines that are pale-edged posteriorly. One line runs diagonally from about the midpoint of the inner margin to the subapical region of the costa at about four-fifths. The other runs parallel to the outer margin from near the anal angle to the costa just below the apex. The two lines converge towards the costa, but do not join and are separated by a small gap. This species does not rest with the abdomen curled upward between the wings as seen in some slug moths.	Our records come from a wide range of hardwood-containing habitats. These include maritime forest and scrub on the barrier Islands, bottomland and other riparian and lakeshore habitats, dry oak-hickory forests in the Sandhills and Piedmont, and mesic forests in the Blue Ridge. This species is also commonly found in semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.	The larvae are polyphagous and feed on deciduous hardwoods (Dyars, 1899; Wagner, 2005; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Murphy et al., 2011; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include birches (Betula), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) and other hickories, American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), White Oak (Quercus alba), Chestnut Oak (Q. montana), Chinquapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Black Oak (Q. velutina), and elms (Ulmus). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on Red Maple (Acer rubrum), hickory, American Persimmon, Bear Huckleberry (Gaylussacia ursina), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Pin Oak (Quercus palustris), and Willow Oak (Q. phellos).	Readily attracted to lights. Like other limacodids, the adults do not come to bait or visit flowers.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 [S5]	This species occurs statewide in North Carolina and occupies a wide range of habitats. It also utilizes a large number of host plants, many of which are common. It appears to be secure in our state.
Peridea bordeloni Bordelon's Prominent MONA_number: 7921.10			Nearly all of our records come from riparian habitats in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain where River Birch is a common species. One record comes from a high elevation site in Avery County where River Birch is less likely to occur, although it has been recorded in that county.	There are limited larval records for this recently described species, but it was suspected to feed primarily or exclusively on River Birch (Betula nigra), based on the location of most records and the fact that its close sibling, Peridea ferruginea, is a specialist on birches (Miller et al., 2018). There are two recent BugGuide records from George Smiley showing larvae feeding on River Birch in Texas.			GNR SNR [S3S4]
Spilosoma virginica Virginian Tiger Moth MONA_number: 8137.00	One of eight species in this genus that occur north of Mexico and one of four species found in North Carolina	This species has nearly all white wings, with usually just a few small black dots on the forewing (often just a dot at the lower angle of the cell) and just one or two spots on the hindwing (Forbes, 1960). Spilosoma virginica can be distinguished from S. latipennis by the yellow rather than pink hair on the fore-legs and by a pattern of yellow patches and black spots on the upperside of the abdomen. The abdominal pattern also distinguishes S. virginica from S. congrua and Hyphantria cunea, both of which have pure white abdomens and are often much more heavily spotted. Spilosoma dubia is much more heavily marked on the forewings with black spots, but has a similar pattern of yellow and black patches on the abdomen, although usually more obscured by a layer of longer white hair. Estigmene acrea, another white tiger moth with black spots on its forewings, is much bigger, longer-winged, and usually more heavily spotted than S. virginica.	Wagner (2005) lists fields, gardens, bottomlands, woodlands, and forests as habitats used by this species. In North Carolina, it occurs in a wide variety of open and forested habitats, including dune grasslands and maritime forests on the barrier islands; Longleaf Pine savannas, flatwoods, and sandhills; peatlands; floodplains; and mesic- to dry-hardwood forests.	Larvae are highly polyphagous, like other members of this genus, feeding on a wide range of herbaceous and woody plants (Forbes, 1960; Wagner, 2005). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), beggarticks (Bidens sp.), Lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album), Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), tickseed (Coreopsis sp.), joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium sp.), Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), White Sweetclover (Melilotus albus), Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Common Plantain (Plantago major), Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), wild-petunia (Ruellia sp.), dock (Rumex sp.), willow (Salix sp.), Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia), Sida, Eggplant (Solanum melongena), vervain (Verbena), Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia), Yellow Crownbeard (V. occidentalis), Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea), New York Ironweed (V. noveboracensis), Wisteria, and cocklebur (Xanthium sp.)	This species comes well to black lights, with up to 37 having been collected in a single trap; not recorded at bait.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands	G5 SNR [S5]	This is one of our most abundant and ubiquitous species, occurring in most open and wooded habitats across the state. It appears to be quite secure.
Eutrapela clemataria Curve-toothed Geometer MONA_number: 6966.00	A genus with just one species, which occurs abundantly throughout eastern North America, including all of North Carolina	One of our largest Geometrid moths. It is variable in pattern but usually dark brown with a conspicuous pale line that runs straight from the inner margin to just below the apex where in makes a sharp inward turn towards the costa. The apex of the wing is falcate and often has a pale patch. The inter-antennal ridge is a contrasting bright white. This species is is unlikely to be confused with anything other than Prochroedes, which is similar in size and pattern and sometimes in color, but has smooth wing margins as opposed to the crenulate margins of Eutrapela. Sexes similar but the female is much larger and far less common at light.	We have records from nearly all habitat types in the state -- wherever woody plants occur. Habitats span the entire spectrums of elevation, moisture, and soil pH. Both open and forested habitats are used, and human-altered as well as natural.	In the late spring the caterpillars are apt to be found on almost any tree or shrub. We have reared individuals collected from American Holly (Ilex opaca), Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera), and Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum). We also have records for larvae on American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) and Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), and J.B. Sullivan reared or recorded larvae on Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Bluejack Oak (Quercus incana), Willow Oak (Q. phellos), and Turkey Oak (Q. laevis).	Adults come abundantly to light but we have no records from bait or flowers. Caterpillars are expected whenever one beats shrubs and trees.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]	One of the most widespread species in the state, as well as one of the most generalized in terms of host plants and habitat associations. Consequently, this species appears to be one of the most secure in North Carolina.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Dryocampa rubicunda Rosy Maple Moth MONA_number: 7715.00	The only member of its genus (see Ferguson, 1971, for its separation from Anisota). Several color forms have been described, one of which -- alba, a nearly all white form -- Ferguson recognized as a distinct subspecies. Only the typical bicolored form occurs in North Carolina, however.	The bright yellow and pink adults are nearly unmistakeable. Only the Pink Prominent (Hyparpax aurora) and Primrose Moth (Schinia florida) are similar in color, although usually smaller. The subterminal area is yellow in S. florida, but red or pink in both Dryocampa and Hyparpax. The thorax of Dryocampa is completely yellow-orange, whereas in Hyparpax there is usually some pink color (Covell, 1984). The antemedian line is somewhat smoothly curved in Dryocampa but sharply angled in Hyparpax (Covell, 1984).	Maples -- particularly Red Maple -- occur in nearly every type of forested habitat in eastern North America. Not surprisingly, Dryocampa has been found in a wide variety of forests, ranging from swamps and peatlands in the Coastal Plain, to river bottomlands and mesic slopes throughout the Piedmont and Low and High Mountains. In addition to natural areas, it also occurs commonly in wooded residential area. We have no records for the Outer Banks and other barrier islands, however, including Nags Head Woods, Fort Macon State Park, and Bald Head Island, all of which have had intensive moth surveys.	Larvae feed mainly on maples (Acer spp.), including Red Maple (A. rubrum), Sugar Maple (A. saccharum), Silver Maple (A. saccharinum), and Box-elder (A. negundo) (Ferguson, 1971). In some areas, however, it has also been found on oaks, including Turkey Oak (Q. laevis) (Ferguson, 1971). In North Carolina, we have found larvae primarily on Red Maple, with a few records from oaks, including White Oak (Q. alba).	Adults of both sexes come well to lights, including both blacklights and incandescent. Early instar larvae are gregarious, and in outbreak years can be quite conspicuous. Pupation occurs underground.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands	G5 SNR [S5]	Populations are locally vulnerable to the effects of weather, outbreaks of disease, parasites, and predators, and to the effects of pesticides. However, given the commonness of their host plants, wide habitat range -- including suburban areas -- and statewide distribution, this species can easily recover from localized losses. Unlike several other species of Saturniids, Dryocampa has remained abundant in the Northeast (Wagner, 2012) and may not be as vulnerable to the effects of Compsilura parasitism.
Elachista illectella None 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 occurs in the subterminal area (Braun, 1948). Both sexes have a whitish spot at the apex that helps to distinguish them from similar species, and the males have long yellowish white hairs on the last abdominal segments. The following detailed description is based on Braun (1948). The adults are sexually dimorphic, with the females noticeably darker than the males. In both sexes, the head is fuscous and speckled with dark gray, while the face is sometimes paler and more or less silvery. The labial palps are fuscous, but paler and sometimes whitish above, with a black spot at the base of the third segment. The antenna is dark fuscous with narrow paler annulations. The forewing of the male is fuscous overall. The bases of the scales are grayish white and the tips darker, which creates an overall grainy appearance to the wing. Just before the middle there is a slightly oblique, irregular, narrow fascia that is sometimes much reduced and indicated only by a broken line. At two-thirds the wing length, there is a white costal and an opposite dorsal spot that are occasionally obsolete. A few black scales usually separate their apices. The cilia are fuscous and whitish around the apex, while the marginal scales projecting into them are conspicuously black-tipped. The forewing of the female is darker than that of the male and more evenly dark brown or black. When irrorated, it tends to be paler before the fascia, especially in the late fall and early spring generations. The fascia is broad and silvery white, while the dorsal and costal spots are silvery white and never reduced in size. In general, the female has whiter and more boldly contrasting marks than the male. The cilia is fuscous, with white around the apex. The black-tipped marginal scales are white at the base around the apex, and form a more or less conspicuous white transverse mark in the cilia. The hindwing and cilia are fuscous and darker in the female. The legs are gray, and the hind tibia has a white band before the middle and at the apex. The abdomen is fuscous. Elachista irrorata and E. illectella are easily confused. Both males and females of E. irrorata are distinctly black-and white and lack an apical white spot on the forewing. Female E. illectella closely resemble the males and females of E. irrorata, but can be distinguished by the whitish spot at the apex (absent in E. irrorata).	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 (Phleum pratense), Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), and species of Agrostis, Elymus, Festuca, and Bromus (Eiseman, 2022). In North Carolina, mines have been recorded on Sweet Vernal Grass, Lesser Quaking Grass (Briza minor), Sweet Woodreed (Cinna arundinacea), Eastern Bottlebrush-grass (Elymus hystrix), Virginia Wild-rye (Elymus virginicus), Nodding Fescue (Festuca subverticillata), and Common Velvet Grass (Holcus lanatus).	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.
Epiblema alba None MONA_number: 3177.10		This is a small, mostly white Epiblema with contrasting black marks. The following is based on the description by Wright and Gilligan (2021). The palps, frons, and vertex are white, while the antenna is white with a prominent black spot on the scape. The thorax is white with a black spot at the base of the tegula and two black spots on the mesothorax. The forewing is white with black marks that include two transverse lines in the basal area that extend from the inner margin to near the middle of the wing. A prominent sub-basal mark is also present that is sometimes fragmented and extends from the inner margin to near the middle of the wing. The middle area of the wing is predominantly white and often has transverse reticulations, while an obscure bar is often evident at the mid-costa -- along with a conspicuous pretornal mark that is sometimes fragmented. The ocellus is white with pinkish to grayish bars on the lateral margins and one or two black marks on the white central field. The costal strigulae are conspicuous, and the termen has a narrow salt-and-pepper colored band from the tornus to the apex. The fringe is mostly white, except for being black at the apex. The hindwing is pale brownish gray with a whitish fringe. Epiblema alba and E. separationis are similar in being small (mean FWL = 5.1 vs. 5.2 mm) and predominantly white species, but differ in forewing maculation and genitalia (Wright and Gilligan, 2021). They can be distinguished by the fact that E. alba has prominent black sub-basal and pretornal marks on the forewing, whereas E. separationis only has a scattering of black dots on the wing.	This species is typically found in sandy, xeric habitats. Our specimens mostly come from fire-maintained habitats in the Sandhills, including upland TurKey Oak and Longleaf Pine communities.	The larval host plants are undocumented, but Bo Sullivan noted that Chrysopis mariana was growing at all three sites where alba was collected in 2020 (Wright and Gilligan, 2021). Additional studies are needed to determine if this is a host.	The adults are attracted to UV-lights.		GNR[S2S3]	Populations in North Carolina are mostly restricted to the Sandhills and appear to be a major disjunct group from more southern populations in Florida and southern Alabama. More information is needed on its flight periods, distribution and host plants before we can accurately assess its conservation status.
Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis Goldenrod Gall Moth MONA_number: 1986.00	The genus Gnorimoschema contains over 115 species of small moths. There are more than 80 species in North America, and most are found in the southwestern US. They appear to specialize on members of the Asteraceae and have a diverse array of feeding niches that includes leafminers and gall-makers.	The following is based in part on the description by Riley (1869). The head, thorax and labial palp are pale with varying levels of dark brown dusting. The antenna has faint brown with pale annulations. The forewing ground is mostly dark brown. A pale fascia with darker speckling begins on the costa at about one-fifth the wing length. It curves gently towards the inner margin, where it fuses with a concolorous longitudinal band along the inner margin. The band along the inner margin is narrow and extends from near the wing base to around four-fifths, where it often tends to deflect inward and continue towards the wing tip. The apical third is variable, but tends to be paler than the ground in the remainder of the wing and heavily speckled with darker coloration. There is often a poorly defined, pale costal blotch at about four-fifths. The head, thorax, and the base of the forewing before the fascia are usually paler than the central area of the wing where a broad region of dark brown is present. The cilia are concolorous with the ground in the apical third, and the hindwing is gray with lighter cilia. The legs are dark brown to blackish with pale to whitish annulations.	The larvae feed on Tall Goldenrod and Giant Goldenrod in North Carolina. The first species is common in a variety of open, sunny settings such as fields, infrequently mowed roadways, the edges of agricultural fields, forest clearings, and clearcuts. Giant Goldenrod is also found in open, sunny sites, but grows in wet habitats.	The larvae feed on in galls on goldenrods. Tall Goldenrod (Solidago altissima) and Giant Goldenrod (S. gigantea) are the primary hosts (Leiby, 1922; Miller 1963; Nason et al., 2002). Leiby (1922) also reported that Gray Goldenrod (S. nemoralis) is used, but apparently only rarely. In North Carolina, Tracy Feldman has recorded galls on Tall Goldenrod and Canada Goldenrod (S. canadensis).	The adults are attracted to lights, but many records are from adults that were reared from the conspicuous galls.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S3	We have a few scattered records from throughout the state. More information is need on the distribution and abundance of this species before we can assess its conservation status.
Lineodes fontella Eastern Lineodes MONA_number: 5106.00		This is a distinctive moth that has long legs, long antennae, narrow wings, and a complex and distinctive pattern on the apical half of the wing. Individuals often rest with their abdomen curled upward well above the wings. The forewing is suffused with fawn-brown that phases into dark brown or brownish-black in the more conspicuous markings, such as the dark patch long the inner margin at two-thirds the wing length. There are five small dark fuscous spots on the costa — one near the base, one at one-third, and a group of three on the outer third (Walsingham, 1913). The antemedial and postmedial lines are very distinctive in being black with a thin, white margin on the outer side, and in having very convoluted paths with conspicuous loops along the way. The hindwing and cilia are pale grayish ocherous, with one or two short, transverse, dark lines below the end of the cell, and a dark line along the base of the cilia.	All of our records come from dune grass/shrublands on barrier islands.	The larvae appear to specialize on ground cherries (Physalis spp.; Hayden et al., 2013). The reported hosts include Cutleaf Ground-cherry (P. angulata), Mexican Ground-cherry (P. philadelphica), Downy Ground-cherry (P. pubescens), Sticky Ground-cherry (P. viscosa), and Walter’s Ground-cherry ( = Dune Ground-cherry; P. walteri). Tracy Feldman reared an adult from Walter’s Ground-cherry, which is our only known host in North Carolina as of 2023.	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found feeding on ground cherries. We need additional information on host use in North Carolina.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S1S3	The likely host plant of this species, Physalis walteri, is state ranked as S3 and appears to be strongly confined to barrier island sand dunes and possibly other tidewater grass and shrublands. The moth has only been collected at three locations as of 2023, but can be expected to turn up at other coastal sites where the host plant occurs.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Chrysodeixis includens Soybean Looper Moth MONA_number: 8890.00		A medium-sized, dark brown Looper, with some areas of the forewing having a bronzy luster. The silvery stigma is the most conspicuous mark, composed of an open loop followed by solid silver spot that may be separate or partially joined to the loop. Chrysodeixis includens and Autographa precationis are similar in size, pattern, and coloration. In C. includens, the stigma is rounded and U-shaped whereas it is a more pointed V-shape in A. precationis. Chrysodeixis includens also has two dark wedges that are absent in A. precationis, one projecting outward from the basal line and one located in the terminal area (see Forbes, 1954, for details).	Wagner et al. (2011) list fields, gardens, greehouses, agricultural fields, waste places, and other open and early successional fields as habitats used by this species.	Larvae are polyphagous on herbaceous plants, including many crop species (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have a record for a larvae feeding on Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia).	Frequently seen at dusk or after dark nectaring on flowers. The presence of pollinia on some specimens indiate that they visit milkweed flowers.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
Pleuroprucha insulsaria Common Tan Wave MONA_number: 7132.00		The head, thorax, and wings are all concolorous reddish or greenish-gray; a white bar between the antennae the only contrasting mark (Forbes, 1948). The discal dot is obscure and the postmedian is usually faint, but wavy and marked with points at the veins. The terminal line is fine and black.	Grasslands, fields, and the edges of woodlands (Wagner et al., 2001). We have records from essentially all types of habitats in North Carolina, from maritime forest and grasslands, to Longleaf Pine communities, to peatlands, to bottomlands, to Spruce-Fir forests, to successional fields.	Larvae are polyphagous, frequently found on goldenrods (Solidago) but also reported on a wide range of woody and herbaceous plants. Wagner (2004) specifically lists Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), ragweed (Ambrosia), indigo-bush (Amorpha), asters, chestnut (Castanea), bittersweet (Celastrus), tickseed (Coreopsis), bedstraw (Galium), sweetclover (Melilotus), oak (Quercus), willow (Salix), goldenrod, and corn. In North Carolina, we have a rearing record of a larva that was feeding on Chinese Elm (Ulmus parviflora). J.B. Sullivan also recorded larvae on Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) and Laurel Oak (Q. laurifolia).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
Halysidota harrisii Sycamore Tussock Moth MONA_number: 8204.00	One of five species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schimdt, 20010), three of which have been recorded in North Carolina	Adults of all three of our species of Halysidota are highly similar to one another, possessing long, pointed wings that are translucent yellow and marked with bands of slightly darker, offset cells forming a tessellated pattern. The markings of H. harrisii and H. tessellaris are virtually identical and cannot be identified from photographs; only examination of male specimens can be used for reliable identification of adult H. harrisii.	Riparian forests, including brownwater river floodplains in the Coastal Plain and bottomland hardwoods more generally in the Piedmont and Low Mountains.	Larvae are believed to feed solely on American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) (Forbes, 1960; Wagner, 2005), which has been confirmed as the host in North Carolina. Other reported hosts are most likely in error.	Comes to blacklights in small numbers even in areas that appear to be prime habitat, but whether that is due to lack of attraction to lights or small population sizes is unknown. May feed on flowers similarly to H. tessellaris, but none have been caught at bait. Looking for larvae blown down from Sycamores by storms appears to be the best method of searching for this species.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands. Should possibly be placed on the NHP Watch List until more is learned about its actual distribution and abundance	G4 SNR [S4?]	This species is certainly a habitat specialist but appears to be even rarer than would be expected based on the distribution of Sycamore in the state. We have inspected hundreds of adult specimens with all but a tiny fraction turning out to be H. tessellaris, even in areas where Sycamore is common or at sites where we have definite records of their presence. The reason for this rarity (or apparent rarity) is unknown.
Rusicada privata Hibiscus-leaf Caterpillar Moth MONA_number: 8547.00		The ground color is yellowish to dark fuscous, sometimes with a heavy dusting of red and a paler patch of mouse gray or reddish-yellow in the fold where it is crossed by the postmedian (Forbes, 1954). The transverse lines are dark brown, edges with gray. The antemedian is excurved and moderately scalloped. The postmedian runs irregularly in from the costa but then makes a sharp right angle bend inward to the basal edge of the reniform, to which it appears to be an extension. From that point, it runs straight to the inner margin (Forbes, 1954). The subterminal is represented by a series of fuscous patches, bordered outwardly by a pale line. The orbicular is a small ring that may be filled with white. The reniform is a narrow lunule with a straight base that lines up with the inner portion of the postmedian. Anomis erosa generally has a more yellowish ground color but is similar in pattern. The postmedian, however, is more smoothly curved in from the costa, although also strongly offset inward, again reaching the base of the reniform. From that point, it curves across the wing, joining the antemedian just above the inner margin. In contrast to R. privata, A. erosa has a well-developed tooth on both the antemedian and postmedian lines. In R. privata, the antemedian line appears scalloped, without the obvious tooth of A. erosa.		Larvae feed on Hibiscus species, including non-native Rose-of-Sharon (H. syriacus) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, David George has observed larvae feeding on Rose-of-Sharon planted along an urban road in Durham, and there is a BugGuide record (Jamie M. Simancas, 2024) for a larva on an unidentified Hibiscus in Guilford County. Rose-of-Sharon is likely the primary host in North Carolina for this introduced species, but there is also an iNaturalist record (Brian Antczak, 2022) of a larva on Swamp Rosemallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) in Ashe County.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [SNA]	This species is an introduced Old World Species (Wagner et al., 2011).
Microcrambus kimballi Kimball's Grass-veneer MONA_number: 5424.00		The following is based on the original description by Klots (1968). The labial palp is white and somewhat shaded ventrally with brown. The head and thorax are white with some scattered brown scales. The forewing ground color is dull white with dark marks and dusting. The costal edge is broadly pale brownish to beyond the middle of the wing. The whitish medial line is relatively wide and has a diffuse darker margin on the distal edge that is often incomplete near the center of the wing. It runs obliquely outward from the costa to an acute point, and in some cases nearly reaches the subterminal line, then angles back and runs to the middle of the dorsal margin. The subterminal line is better developed and consists of two thin, wavy dark lines that are narrowly separated by whitish. It runs obliquely outward from the costa for about one-fourth of its length, then angles to run parallel to the outer margin as a scalloped or wavy line. Just before reaching the sub-tornal region it bends basally and runs to the inner margin at about four-fifths the inner margin length. The costa has a diffuse dark brown patch between the medial and subterminal line, and a second diffuse dark patch between the subterminal line and the apex. The remainder of the subterminal region beyond the subterminal line is mostly dull white. The terminal line consists of a line of six or seven black dots. The fringe is pale brown with a dull sheen, while the hindwing is dirty, brownish white with a faint, darker terminal line and a faint dark line in the fringe. Microcrambus kimballi closely resembles M. minor and is best distinguished by the wavy or scalloped subterminal line versus the diffuse and poorly develop line on M. minor. Worn specimens may require dissection.	Our records are mostly from areas with mesic forests and nearby meadows, roadways or other disturbed habitats.	The host plants are undocumented, but are suspected to be grasses.	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 [S2-S3]	As of 2024, this species has been collected from several sites in the Great Smoky Mountains and vicinity, and at two sites elsewhere. Overall, it appears to be uncommon in the state, but more information is needed on its distribution, abundance, and larval life history before we can accurately assess its conservation status.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Etiella zinckenella Gold-banded Etiella MONA_number: 5744.00			Our one record comes from a site located within a large area of natural sandhills habitat. Although some of the recorded host plants for this species occur in that area, it is not clear whether this species is solely a migrant in our area or associated primarily with croplands.	Larvae feed on a wide variety of legumes, including milkvetch (Astragalus), wild indigo (Baptisia), rattlebox (Crotalaria), Soybean (Glycine max), peas (Lathyrus), lupine (Lupinus), bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus), beans (Phaseolus), locust (Robinia), hoary-pea (Tephrosia), vetch (Vicia), and cowpea (Vigna) (Robinson et al., 2010); a number of other families of plants are also used to some extent.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR	This is an Old World species that is exotic in North America
Tornos cinctarius None MONA_number: 6485.00	One of seven species in this New World genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Rindge, 1954), three of which have been recorded in North Carolina	A medium-sized, dark brown Geometrid, with narrow, elongated wings held horizontally at rest. Unlike other members of this genus, sexes are identical in color and pattern. The ground color of the forewings is ochraceous, overlain and somewhat mottled with dark brown. Both the antemedian and postmedian lines are black and prominent; the discal spot is dull black and elongated (Rindge, 1954). Tornos colopacinaria and T. abjectarius are similar in size and form but are lighter in color, have less prominent lines, and are sexually dimorphic.	All of our records come from Longleaf Pine dominated habitats or from stands of hardwoods either embedded or adjoining Longleaf habitats. With respect to moisture regimes, habitats include both xeric sandhills and wet savannas.	Host plants are unknown (Rindge, 1954).	Appears to come well to blacklights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU [S2S3]	This species appears to be strongly associated with Longleaf Pine habitats. These habitats have undergone a reduction in range of 90% or more since colonial times and are still being converted to silviculture and other uses and particularly to the effects of suppression of the natural fire regime upon which they depend. Our records for this species all come from areas where these habitats still occupy large landscapes where a relatively natural fire regime - augmented by prescribed burning - still persists. Although knowledge of the host plants used by this species would help refine our understanding of its conservation needs, this species appears to be fairly rare even within its preferred habitats and probably should be listed as Significantly Rare in North Carolina.
Pelochrista argentifurcatana MONA_number: 3014.20
Cydia laricana None MONA_number: 3449.00	Populations that are currently treated as Cydia laricana constitute a wide-ranging species and may be a species complex. The type specimen is from Montana and the larvae feed on the cambium layer of western conifers. This species ranges throughout the eastern US where the larvae presumably use other conifer hosts such has pines. This is one of several Cydia species in North America that need additional phylogenetic and taxonomic study.	The following description is based in part on the description by Busck (1916). The head, palps, and antennae are grayish to grayish-brown. The thorax is similar but sometimes with scattered orangish-brown scales. The ground color of the forewing varies from grayish to grayish-brown or grayish-black and has white-tipped scales that produce a heavily dusted appearance throughout. The costal margin has five pairs of white dashes, with the first just before the middle, the second just beyond the middle and the three outer ones on the apical third of the costa. The first pair continues inward as silvery-gray or leaden-gray striae across the wing to produce an outwardly angulated fascia that terminates near the middle of the inner margin. In many specimens the two striae are partially fused along their lengths. The second pair of white dashes also continues obliquely inward to produce a similar angulated or curved fascia that usually has the two striae fused. The fascia continues to near the middle where it angles and forms the anterior edge of the ocellus. In some specimens it may continue nearly to the dorsal margin. The ocellus has a matching parallel vertical streak on the posterior edge, along with three parallel, longitudinal black lines. The penultimate pair of costal dashes fuse and continue as an irregular, silvery-gray or leaden-gray stria that usually terminates before reaching the silvery vertical bar on the posterior margin of the ocellus. The fringe is dark bronzy with a black basal line, and the hindwing is brown to blackish fuscus.	Populations are generally associated with conifer or mixed conifer-hardwood forests, including in both natural areas and residential settings.	The larvae feed on the cambium of at least two species of western conifers, Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Western Larch (Larix occidentalis). The hosts for populations in the eastern US are undocumented, but presumably are pines or other conifers such as hemlocks.	The adults are attracted to lights.		GNR [S2-S3]	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina, but more information on host use, distribution, and abundance is needed before we can assess its conservation status.
Acrolophus piger Piger Grass Tubeworm Moth MONA_number: 371.00	The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.	The following is based in part on Dyer's original description (see Hasbrouck, 1964). The palp is erect, terminates above the vertex, is free from the front of the head, and is rather smoothly scaled. The thorax has a raised crest and is usually darker than the ground color of the forewings. The forewing ground color and patterning is variable, with the ground varying from reddish brown to light gray. There are dark brown to blackish specks and/or fine, short, transverse striations scattered throughout. A dark somewhat triangular blotch is usually present over the center of the wing that is widest at the costa (sometimes extending as far as to the subapical area) and narrows inwardly before terminating just before the inner margin. The anterior and posterior margins are often faintly mottled with blackish specks. Light gray forms often have the central triangular mark reduced or even missing. The hindwing is brown to blackish and darker than the forewing. Acrolophus forbesi is externally similar to A. piger but is distantly related and can be easily separated using genitalia. In addition, the structure of the antenna and eye can be used to separate the two. In A. piger the eye is rather densely clothed with erect setae, and each antennal segment is completely encircled by at least one ring of scales. In A. forbesi, the eye has relatively few very short setae, and each antennal segment is clothed only dorsad or dorsolaterad with scales.	The hosts and associated habitats are undocumented.	The hosts are undocumented. Heppner (2003) listed 'grass' for this and most other Acrolophus species, but did not provide specifics.	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 S2S3	This species is near the northern limit of its range in North Carolina and appears to be rare in the state. However, more information on its distribution and habitat requirements are needed before we can assess its conservation status.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Isophrictis rudbeckiella None MONA_number: 1700.00				Larvae reportedly feed on coneflowers (Rudbeckia spp.).
Epiblema otiosana Bidens Borer Moth MONA_number: 3202.00		The following is mostly based on the description by Pohl and Nanz (2023). The palps, antennae, head, thorax and thoracic tuft are all dark brown to reddish-brown. The forewing is dark grayish-brown to reddish-brown except for a white, sharply-defined dorsal spot near the middle of the wing. The ocellus varies from whitish to grayish, and reddish-brown scaling occurs near the apex and along the termen. The dorsal spot extends from the inner margin to just beyond the middle of the wing and typically has a lateral projection on its distal margin that points toward the ocellus and attenuates distally. When an individual is resting with the wings folded, it has a distinctive notched appearance. On a small percentage of individuals the apex of the projection is joined to the ocellus by a thin white line (Pohl and Nanz, 2023). The ocellus is well defined and has gray bands along the lateral margins and three short black dashes on a whitish to grayish central field. The costa has one conspicuous whitish strigula just before the apex, and several rather obscure gray strigulae on the distal two-thirds of the wing. These are separated by lines of reddish-brown scales. A broad, irregular black stripe adjoins the ocellus between it and the apex.	Most of our records come from open areas or residential developments.	Beggarticks (Bidens spp.) appear to be the primary hosts (Forbes, 1923; Decker, 1932; MacKay, 1959; Covell, 1984; Godfrey et al., 1987; Miller, 1987; Lam et al., 2011; Beadle and Leckie, 2012). The known hosts include Bearded Beggarticks (B. aristosa), Spanish-needles (B. bipinnata), Nodding Beggarticks (B. cernua), Devil's Beggarticks (B. frondosa) and Tall Beggar-ticks (B. vulgata). Decker (1932) found overwintering larvae in the stems of several other species that were near Bidens but found no evidence of feeding. He concluded that they were using these strictly as overwintering habitats and that they were not true host plants. The list included Ambrosia trifida, Chenopodium album, Solidago spp., Amaranthus retroflexus, Polygonum spp., a Typha and a Carex.	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in the stems of beggerticks.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S4S5	This species is widespread and common within the state and appears to be secure.
Nepotula secura MONA_number: 1621.00
Schinia sanguinea Bleeding Flower Moth MONA_number: 11173.00	One of 126 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2011), the majority of which occur in the West; 25 have been recorded in North Carolina.		All of our records come from the Coastal Plain and from the fire-maintained savannas and sandhills that support populations of its host species of Blazing-Stars.	Larvae reportedly feed on blazing-star (Liatris), including Dense Blazing-star (L. spicata) and Northern Blazing-star (L. scariosa) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, both of those species, however, are restricted to the mountains, while our records for Schinia sanguinea are all from the Coastal Plain. Other Liatris species that are more likely hosts in this range include Shaggy Blazing-star (L. pilosa), Sticky Blazing-star (L. resinosa), and Wand Blazing-star (L. virgata).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 S2S3
Datana ranaeceps Post-burn Datana MONA_number: 7911.00	One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), nine of which have been recorded in North Carolina.	A moderately large Prominent. The forewings are deep brown to reddish brown and are characteristically heavily frosted with gray, often producing a violaceous sheen (Forbes, 1948). The postmedian line (the outermost complete transverse line) is located approximately one quarter the wing length in from the outer margin, whereas it is located much closer to the outer margin in other species of Datana (Forbes, 1948; Datana robusta also appears to have a wide terminal area).	Except for two historic records from Brimley (1938), where the habitat is not described, all records in North Carolina come from Longleaf Pine habitats and virtually all from wet savannas, flatwoods, or seepage areas or from peatland ecotones adjacent to Sandhills habitats. These sites all support populations of the heath species that are the host plants used by ranaceps, particularly Lyonia mariana (Weakley, 2015). These habitats also burn on a regular basis, at least under natural conditions, which appears to be a requirement of this species. While other possible host plants, such as Eubotrys racemosus, also occur in peatlands and swamps, we have no records of D. ranaeceps from habitats where fire is much more irregular in its occurence.	Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on heaths in the genera Lyonia and Eubotrys (= Leucothoe) (Wagner, 2005). Schweitzer et al. (2011) state that Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana) is the primary host used in New Jersey but that Swamp Fetterbush (Eubotrys racemosus) may also be used by late instars and that Vaccinium may also be used when the normal hosts are defoliated. In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan recorded a larva on Lyonia.	Comes well to blacklights but adults have short mouthparts and may not feed; they have not been recorded at bait or flowers. Larvae are conspicuous, not hiding and often clustered together; in recently burned areas, they may are unlikely to go unnoticed.	Listed as Significantly Rare by the Natural Heritage Program. That designation, however, does not confer any legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G3G4 S2S3	While the host plants used by D. ranaeceps are common and widespread in the Coastal Plain, the moth is rarely found outside frequently burned areas: it was found very commonly in the artillery impact areas at Camp Lejeune, most of which burn on an annual basis, but only rarely in less-frequently burned areas. The inference is that this species is a nearly obligate fire-follower -- its larvae feeding primarily on the fresh foliage of plant regenerating immediately following a burn -- and that it has been severely affected by the widespread suppression of wildfires, along with fragmentation of its habitats. Far more than other Longeaf Pine associates - as reduced as they all are by habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation -- this species appears unlikely to persist without careful management of extensive, fire-maintained landscapes.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Schreckensteinia erythriella None MONA_number: 2507.00				Larvae reportedly feed on sumac (Rhus spp.) (Forbes, 1923).
Trichordestra beanii None MONA_number: 10306.00		The ground color is dull gray, shaded with fuscous (Forbes, 1954). The area around the reniform is brownish. The lines are filled with gray. The subterminal is offset at the costa, leaving a clear gray apical spot. The orbicular is large, oblique, and pale. A very small, dark claviform mark is present, filled with the ground color. The reniform is large; the upper part is pale and the lower dark brown. The hindwings are fuscous brown.	Four of our records come from the Fall-line Sandhills and an historic record from A.H. Manee also comes from Southern Pines, presumably in the same habitat. One other historic record, however, comes from Highlands.	Host plants are apparently unknown.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [SH]	This species appears to be very rare throughout its range
Heterogenea shurtleffi Red-eyed Button Slug Moth MONA_number: 4657.00	Monogenic in N.A.	Heterogenea shurtleffi is sexually dimorphic in both size and coloration. The forewing is cinnamon to brown in the larger females and darker chocolate brown in the males. The hindwing is also generally lighter brown in the females but blackish in the males. There are two narrow transverse bands on the forewing that are diffuse and dark brown. The inner band runs more-or-less obliquely across the wing from the inner margin to the costa near the middle of the wing. The outer band is much more strongly curved and runs from near the subtornal region of the inner margin roughly parallel to the termen before curving sharply towards the costa where is often joins the first band. A diffuse patch of similarly colored scales usually occupies the space between the two bands. In both sexes, there is usually a broad fringe on both wings, with a row of shorter, darker gray, but also somewhat elongated scales at the base of the fringe. These rows give the fringe a bicolored, or in some cases, tricolored appearance. Males are unlikely to be confused with other limacodids, and can be distinguished from similarly small and blackish species of Cryptothelia and Fulgoraecia exigua by their simple, rather than pectinate antennae. Females are similar in size, color, and pattern to Tortricidia flexuosa and Lithacodes fiskeanus, but have more rounded outer margins on the forewing, which are obliquely straight in the other species. Photographs showing the structural features described below should more reliably separate this species from the others.	The largest sample of this species was recorded in the middle of a deeply flooded swamp forest, with no dry land around for hundreds of meters (the trap was located on the top of a beaver lodge). Many of the other sites where this species has been recorded in North Carolina are from riparian or wetland habitats. However, we also have records from mesic hardwood forests, dune habitats on a barrier island, and semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.	The larvae are polyphagous and feed on deciduous hardwoods (Wagner, 2005; Heppner, 2007). The reported hosts include American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), chestnuts (Castanea), beeches (Fagus), oaks (Quercus), and presumably other woody plants. Based on the habitats where we have recorded this species in this state, American Hornbeam and bottomland or swamp oaks such as Overcup Oak (Q. lyrata) and Swamp Chestnut Oak (Q. michauxii) seem the most likely to be used. In North Carolina, we have a single feeding record from Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra).	The adults are attracted to lights but do not feed and consequently do not visit flowers or come to bait.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina. More information is needed on its distribution, host plants and habitat preferences before its conservation status can be accurately assessed.
Dichomeris offula None MONA_number: 2305.10			Two records come from the edge of bottomland pools or marshes.	Larval host plants appear to be unknown (Hodges, 1986).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S3
Ulophora groteii None MONA_number: 5900.00				Larvae reportedly feed on Goat's-rue (Tephrosia virginiana) (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
Pelochrista fiskeana None MONA_number: 3129.00	Pelochrista is a large Holarctic genus of tortricids with around 75% of the 226 described species being native to North America (Wright and Gilligan, 2017). The highest species richness occurs in the western half of North America. The genus has a long and confusing taxonomic history, with many of the species formerly placed in the genus Eucosma. Gilligan et al. (2014) conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Pelochrista, Eucosma, and related genera and redefined the genus Eucosma and Pelochrista based on differences in female genitalia. The great majority of Pelochrista species are known only from adults, which likely reflects the fact that the larvae of most species bore into stem bases and roots and are concealed from view. Members of the Asteraceae are the likely hosts for most species (Wright and Gilligan, 2017), but much work need to be done to identifying the hosts.	The following description is based on that of Wright (2015). The frons is pale tan and the vertex scales are brownish gray with tan tips. The medial surfaces of the first and second segments of the labial palp vary from tan to white, the lateral surfaces are brownish gray to blackish gray, and the third segment is blackish brown. The antenna is brown with a scape that has a blackish mark on the dorsal surface. The dorsal surface of the thorax is brown to dark grayish brown. The anterior surfaces of the foreleg and midleg are blackish brown, while the posterior surfaces are tan. The hindleg is largely tan. The foreleg and midleg have tan marks at the midtibia and the distal end of the tibia, and the tarsi have tan annulations. The ground color of the forewing is light brown to blackish brown and is overlain with dark brown fasciae. they are thinly edged with white and usually contrast with the paler interfascial areas. A subbasal fascia is present that is chevron-shaped, nearly complete, and often weakly interrupted by paler scaling. The median fascia is complete and forms a wide band that is outwardly oblique from the mid-costa to the pre-tornal portion of the inner margin. A narrow postmedian band is also present that extends from the costa to the mid-termen and is often constricted or interrupted on the radius. The ocellus varies from being well-defined to obscure and has lustrous gray bars on the proximal, distal, and posterior margins. The central field of the ocellus is concolorous with the interfasial areas and crossed by up to four black dashes. The distal one-half of the costa has inconspicuous paired whitish strigulae and associated lustrous gray striae. The termen has a thin white line from M2 to the apex that is followed distally by a band of white-tipped, blackish-gray scales from the tornus to the apex. Both the fringe of the forewing and the entire hindwing are grayish brown.	The preferred habitats are poorly documented. Our only record as of 2022 is from an annual burn seep in the Sandhills.	The host plants are undocumented.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Hyperstrotia aetheria None MONA_number: 9036.00	One of five species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), all of which have been recorded in North Carolina	A small, white, black, and brown marked Graylet. The ground color is white to pale gray. The antemedian and postmedian lines are both pure white, narrow, and edged medially by black. A solid black spot is located on the costa just before the antemedian line and one or two small dark discal spots are present, along with a row of small black terminal spots. The median area is variably shaded with gray or brown, joining a darker patch that extends from the costa just before the apex to the postmedian line. Hindwings are fuscous (see Grote, 1897 and Forbes, 1954 for more details). Other members of this genus are similar in size and coloration but usually do not have solid, contrastingly black patches along the costa, although more diffuse gray patches may occur in the same location.	Our records come primarily from Pine-Scrub Oak Sandhills, with a few from other types of dry oak woodlands. Most come from sites with loamy soils, supporting stands of Bluejack, Scrubby Post Oak, and Blackjack Oaks. Records from Cabarrus County may be associated with Blackjack Oaks, but the moth has not been found in other areas in the Piedmont where that species occurs.	Host plants are apparently undocumented but one of the more xerophytic oaks seems likely, including Blackjack, Bluejack, or Scrubby Post Oak.	All of our records come from blacklight traps or sheets.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3?	This species appears to have a restricted geographic range in North Carolina and occupies a narrow range of habitats. Further information is needed on its host plants and its distribution within the Outer Coastal Plain before its conservation status can be accurately estimated.
Schinia nundina Goldenrod Flower Moth MONA_number: 11177.00	One of 126 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2011), the majority of which occur in the West; 25 have been recorded in North Carolina.			Larvae feed on goldenrods (Solidago spp.), including Canada Goldenrod (S. canadensis), Midwestern Stiff Goldenrod (S. rigida), and Northern Wand Goldenrod (S. stricta) (Wagner et al., 2011). They also reportedly feed on asters (Crumb, 1956), but we are unaware of any specific host records. In North Carolina, larvae have been found on goldenrods, including Showy Goldenrod (S. speciosa).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S3S4]
Schinia grandimedia False Boneset Flower Moth MONA_number: 11148.10			Based on the distribution of its host plant, this species should be found in a number of dry-xeric woodlands, glades, and barrens. As of 2022, one of our two site records comes from a "bean dip" in the Sandhills: a relatively mesic Longleaf Pine flatwoods that is rich in legumes and other forbs. The second is also from the Sandhills and from an old farm house that is surrounded by early successional habitat.	Larvae have been recorded on False Boneset (Brickellia eupatorioides) (Wagner et al., 2011). In the Sandhills of North Carolina, this species is associated with "Longleaf Pine--Wiregrass uplands and flats in loamy sand soils (LeGrand et al., 2025)			GNR SNR [S1S2]	Although only recently discovered in North Carolina, it possibly has a resident population in the Fall-line Sandhills and is not simply a long-distance migrant from the West.
Xylophanes tersa Tersa Sphinx MONA_number: 7890.00	Xylophanes is a very large Neotropical genus of some 87 species of which 5 have been found in the U.S. and 1 is resident in North Carolina.	Xylophanes tersa is moderately small yellow-brown Sphingid with very narrow, angular wings. Forewings and body are tan and longitudinally striped with narrow bands of yellow and darker brown. The hindwing is black along the costal edge and a band of yellow wedges parallels the margin of the hindwing. Other species of Xylophanes could possibly occur as migrants in North Carolina but have hindwings that usually are uniformly colored and lack the central yellow band. Sexes are similar.	Occurs primarily in open habitats. We have a large number of records from the Barrier Islands from both dune habitats and maritime forest. Farther inland, X. tersa has been commonly collected in Longleaf Pine habitats, ranging from wet savannas and flatwoods to dry sandhills. Records from bottomland forests appear to be lacking but we have a number of records from lakeshore habitats. In the Piedmont and Mountains, X. tersa has been recorded from dry woodlands on ridge tops and there are at least a couple of recent records from high elevation habitats in Mount Mitchell State Park.	Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on members of the Rubiaceae. Tuttle (2007) and Wagner (2005) specifically list Poorjoe (Hexasepalum [=Diodia] teres) and Buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra), both of which occur in North Carolina; at least some of the larvae that have been photographed here seem to be feeding or resting on Hexasepalum. Other species of the Rubiaceae may also be used, although no records appear to exist from Galium, Houstonia, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), or other common members of that family. A few records also exist for members of other plant families, including Catalpa (Wagner, 2005; Tuttle, 2007). There are BugGuide records of larvae feeding on Hexasepalum teres (Alicia Jackson, 2020) and Virginia Buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) in North Carolina.	Adults are avid flower visitors at dusk, and we also have a few records from baits. They come well to 15 watt UV lights. Larvae have been observed on a number of occasions, usually as single individuals. We have at least a few records for pupae, probably reflecting the fact that they pupate at or near the surface of the ground.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]	With its statewide distribution and use of a broad range of habitat types, this species appears to be secure.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Synanthedon scitula Dogwood Borer Moth MONA_number: 2549.00	North America has 136 or more species in the family Sesiidae, and the large genus Synanthedon constitutes around half of the 37 species found in North Carolina, many being similar in appearance to one another. Some sesiids, known broadly as clearwing borers, are significant pests of commercial crops. Almost all are mimics of wasps and hornets.	The males of this species are best identified using a combination of characters, including a bluish-black antenna; a yellow band on abdominal segments segment 2 and 4, with the latter broader; mostly transparent wings with yellow dusting along the basal half of the costa; and a fan-shaped anal tuft that is narrowly margined with yellow along the sides. The females are generally similar, but have an additional narrow yellowish band on the last abdominal segment, and a yellowish bar on segment 3. In addition, the anal tuft is more broadly margined with yellow. The following detailed description of the males is based on the descriptions by Engelhardt (1946) and Eichlin and Duckworth (1988). The antenna is steel bluish-black, with a golden spot at the base beneath. The head is blackish above, with the front mostly white, while the labial palp is yellow and sometimes tipped with black. The collar is yellow and the thorax varies from black to lustrous steel blue or coppery. It has a narrow, long, yellow stripe along the sides on the patagia, and a small yellow transverse patch posteriorly. The abdomen varies from steel-blue to black, and has a narrow band on the posterior margin of segment 2 and a broader yellow band encircling segment 4. The ventral region is variously powdered with pale yellow medially on all segments except segment 3. The anal tuft is fan-shaped, black, and edged with yellow at the sides. The tibiae of the legs are mostly yellow, but banded with purplish black between the spurs, while the tarsi are yellow with narrow blackish bands at the joints. The forewing is mostly transparent, with the veins, discal spot, and broad outer border bluish-black to brownish-black. The area between the outer veins are powdered with golden-yellow, while the costa and inner margin are black with varying amounts of intermixed yellow scales. The hindwing is transparent, with the margins very narrowly bluish-black, and with the costa powdered with yellow. Females are generally similar to the males but are larger and stouter, tend to have more yellow shading on the forewing, have a broader yellow band on segment 4, and an anal tuft that is more brushlike and more broadly banded with yellow above. In addition to yellow bands on segments 2 and 4, females frequently have a narrow yellowish band on the last abdominal segment, and a yellowish bar on segment 3. Ventrally, yellow coloration is mostly restricted on segments 4-6 (Engelhardt, 1946; Eichlin and Duckworth, 1988).	Local populations are generally associated with hardwood or mixed hardwood-conifer forests, in addition to semi-wooded residential neighborhoods. Populations often do well in residential settings or nurseries where Flowering Dogwood is grown. Rogers and Grant (1990) reported that infestation rates are low where Flowering Dogwood grows naturally in forests, and high in residential settings where the trees are often injured from lawn mowers and weed trimmers.	Synanthedon scitula is thought to have the broadest dietary niche of any of the eastern species of clearwing moths (Forbes, 1923; Engelhardt, 1946; Pless and Stanley, 1967; Eichlin and Duckworth, 1988; Solomon, 1995; Heppner, 2003). It can be a major economic pest on Flowering Dogwood, Pecan and Common Apple where it can kill ornamental plantings, nursery stock and orchard trees, but uses many other species of trees and shrubs. The reported hosts for the eastern US include Flowering Dogwood (Benthamidia florida [= Cornus florida]), Supplejack (Berchemia scandens), birches (Betula spp.), hickories (Carya spp.), including Pecan (C. illinoiensis), American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), hazelnuts (Corylus), hawthorns (Crataegus), Quince (Cydonia oblonga), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Common Apple (Malus domestica), Northern Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica), Common Waxmyrtle (M. cerifera), Common Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), American Plum (Prunus americana), Common Plum (P. domestica), Black Cherry (P. serotina), Peach (P. persica), oaks, including White Oak (Quercus alba), willows (Salix spp.), American Mountain-ash (Sorbus americanus), elms (Ulmus), viburnums (Viburnum), and Wisteria. In addition to these, other species of hardwoods are undoubtedly used.	The adults are mostly diurnally active and are often seen resting on tree trunks or vegetation, and nectaring on flowers. They are also attracted to pheromone lures, and occasionally appear at lights in the early evening hours.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [S3S4]	This species is probably much more common than our records suggest due to the fact that this species is mostly diurnally active and is not strongly attracted to lights.
Sciota subcaesiella Locust Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 5796.00		The hindwings of subcaesiella are much lighter almost hyaline (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.)		Larvae feed on woody legumes (Prentice, 1966; Robinson et al., 2010). Reported hosts include Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Bristly Locust (Robinia hispida), Black Locust (R. pseudoacacia), Clammy Locust (R. viscosa), and American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens). As of 2024, we have one record for Dwarf Locust (Robinia nana).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4
Amorpha juglandis Walnut Sphinx MONA_number: 7827.00	A monotypic genus, this species has been associated with the genus Laothoe since Hodges misplaced it there in 1971. See Tuttle (2007) for a discussion of this misplacement.	Adult pattern variable but largely a medium sized light brown species with scalloped wing margins and a strongly slanting postmedian that converges towards the antemedian at the inner margin. Sexes are similar. Larva are similar to those of Paonias: green with white granules and striped with seven oblique pale lines along the sides, the last of which the most prominent and extending up to the base of the caudal horn, which is very short in this species.	Occurs in a wide range of mesic to dry habitats dominated by hardwoods, including Deciduous Maritime Forests on the Outer Banks to Cove Forests and Northern Hardwoods in the Mountains. In between, it occurs in bottomlands, mesic slopes, and dry ridges. Records are essentially absent from peatland and Longleaf Pine communities, habitats where both hickories (except Sand Hickory in sandhills habitats) and walnuts are marginal or missing. Only a very few records come from blackwater bottomlands, which suggests that Hornbeam -- a common species in those habitats -- is not a prominent host plant in North Carolina.	Walnut and hickories (Juglandaceae) are the primary hosts, but the species has also been reported to feed on two members of the Betualceae, American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) and American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), in the northern part of its range (Wagner, 2005). In North Carolina, the species has been observed feeding on hickory (Carya) and walnut (Juglans).	Like other members of this subfamily (Smerinthinae) adults visit lights but not flowers nor bait. Most of our records come from 15 watt UV lights, usually as single individuals but rarely in multiples.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]	Given its wide distribution in the state, use of a variety of forest habitats and common host plants, this species appears to be secure. If anything, this species appears to be more common than it was 30 years ago.
Nemapogon clematella of authors None MONA_number: 263.50	Populations in Europe and eastern North America that were previously treated as a single species (Nemapogon clematella) exhibit marked differences in genitalia and DNA barcoding sequences and constitute two separate species. "True" N. clematella are evidently confined to Europe, while the North American group has yet to be named and are referred to here as "Nemapogon clematella of authors (not Fabricius, 1781)" (see Moth Photographers Group for additional details).	This is an easily recognizable Nemapogon. The ground color of the head, tufts, thorax, forewing, and cilia are white. A dark costal spot occurs just beyond the wing base. This is followed near the middle by a broad, black, angulated band that extends from the costa to the inner margin. The band consists of a squarish or rectangular component at the costa, then continues as a broad streak that broadens towards the inner margin. One or more small spots or blotches are sometimes present beyond the median band on the apical third of the wing.	This species is generally associated with hardwood forests where is feeds on fungi in decaying wood.	The larvae feed on fungi, including Hypoxylon fuscum and Fomes fomentarius. Larvae have been found mining in the fruiting bodies and growing under the bark of dead elm, oak, beech, and hawthorn (Heath and Emmet, 1985; Jaworski et al., 2016).	The adults occasionally visit lights and are sometimes collected in pheromone traps with Synanthedon lures. More information is needed on the larval ecology, and we encourage naturalists to check for the larvae on Fomes, Hypoxylon, or other fungi on decaying hardwoods.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	Populations are presumably more common than our limited records suggest since the adults do not appear to be strongly attracted to lights.
Schreckensteinia festaliella Blackberry Skeletonizer Moth MONA_number: 2509.00				Larvae reportedly feed on blackberry (Rubus spp.) (Forbes, 1923; Schaffner, 1959; Pohl et al., 2005). In North Carolina, there is a BugGuide record (J. Anderson, 2011) of a cocoon on the non-native species Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.