Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Orthosia Members:	153 NC Records

Orthosia hibisci (Guenée, 1852) - Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Orthosiini

P3 Number:
932778

MONA Number:
10495.00

Other Common Name:
Speckled Green Quaker

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

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Adult Markings: Very similar in coloration and patterning to alurina but usually has a continuous and distinct pale subterminal preceded by dark bars (Forbes, 1954).

Wingspan: 35-40 mm (Forbes, 1954)

Adult Structural Features: Males have heavily serrate antennae, with the pectinations (including terminal bristles) longer that the width of the shaft (Forbes, 1954). Male valves are very different from those of alurina (see illustrations in Forbes) and may be the most reliable way of identifying some individuals.

Genitalia and other structural photos

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
Immature 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: Our records come from all types of hardwood forests across the state, from maritime forest on the barrier islands to northern hardwoods on the tops of our highest peaks.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on both hardwoods, conifers, and shrubs. Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list maple (Acer), birch (Betula), Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), ash (Fraxinus), larch (Larix), apple (Malus), spruce (Picea), poplar (Populus), cherry (Prunus), oak (Quercus), currant (Ribes), willow (Salix), and elm (Ulmus). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum), Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata), cherry, River Birch (Betula nigra), Smooth Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium), and Red Maple (Acer rubrum). - View

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]

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 hibisci - Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth

89 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-03-09 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2026-03-08 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2026-03-08 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2026-03-07 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2026-03-05 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-03-05 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2026-03-04 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-03-04 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2026-03-01 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. teper on 2026-03-01 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-03-01 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-02-22 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-02-21 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-02-20 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-02-19 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-06 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-06 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-03-24 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-03-19 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-03-11 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-03-11 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-02-04 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-16 Madison Co. Comment: Eating buds of Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum).
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-16 Madison Co. Comment: Eating buds of Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)		Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp on 2024-04-18 Greene Co. Comment: