Moths of North Carolina
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Orthosia Members:
82 NC Records

Orthosia rubescens (Walker, 1865) - Ruby Quaker Moth


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: OrthosiiniP3 Number: 932770.00 MONA Number: 10487.00
Comments: One of 22 species (two others provisional) that occur in this genus north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 210); five have been recorded in North Carolina
Species Status: Based on the antennal characteristics of both the males and females, Hampson (1905) included rubescens (as Monima rubrescens) in Section II; all of our other species belong to Section III.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Hampson, 1905); Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color of the forewings is luteous, variably overlain by reddish-brown, ranging from predominantly reddish to completely suffused with gray (Forbes, 1954). Usually heavily marked with reddish flecks and a reddish band is usually present between the orbicular and reniform. Both the orbicular and reniform are large; the orbicular is usually filled with the luteous ground color and the reniform usually has a black spot in the lower portion. The antemedian and postmedian lines can be obscure, complete or incomplete, sometimes represented by a series of dark dots on the veins. The subterminal is often obscure and never as cleanly marked as in revicta (Forbes, 1954). In revicta, alurina, and hibisci, all of which can have some reddish shading, the underlying ground color is grayish without of the luteous that is characteristic of rubescens.
Wingspan: 35-40 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: Male antennae are bipectinate with fairly long pectinations (Hampson, 1905; Forbes, 1954; Pogue, 2010); males of the other members of this genus have serrate and fasciculate antennae. Females of rubescens have serrulate antennae (Hampson, 1905, key on p. 411), possessing short triangular projections but without the fasciculate setae found in the males of the other species. The valves of the males are diagnostic; the sacculus has a terminal process in rubescens, which is absent in the other species (Forbes, 1954).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Forests and woodlands (Wagner et al., 2011)
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on many species of shrubs and trees, including conifers (Wagner et al., 2011); also feeds on forbs to some extent
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Dry-Mesic Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Orthosia rubescens - Ruby Quaker Moth

Photos: 29

Recorded by: B bockhahn on 2023-03-06
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-28
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-28
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-22
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-06
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-04
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-03-15
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-03-15
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-03-15
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-04-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-05
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-03-22
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-03-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-04-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-03-28
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-03-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-09
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-04-13
Madison Co.
Comment: Female		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2016-03-12
Durham Co.
Comment: Female
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2016-03-11
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2016-03-08
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: T. Nergart on 2015-04-14
Transylvania Co.
Comment: Male		Recorded by: T. Nergart on 2015-04-14
Transylvania Co.
Comment: Male
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-04-26
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-03-19
Warren Co.
Comment: Male
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-02-11
Warren Co.
Comment: Male