Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Crocigrapha Members:	71 NC Records

Crocigrapha normani (Grote, 1874) - Norman's Quaker

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Orthosiini

P3 Number:
932784

MONA Number:
10501.00

Comments: This genus may be close to some of the western species in Egira but contains a single species found mostly in the eastern half of North American and in North Carolina.

Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been studied and form a distinct clade with a specimen from Kentucky; this clade differs considerably from that containing specimens from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and eastern Canada. Whether or not our species is distinct (and thus new) remains to be proved.

Identification

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

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: Pattern fairly distinct and unlikely to be confused with other species when fresh. Worn specimens possibly confused with species of Orthosia. Sexes are similar.

Adult Structural Features: Both male and female genitalia are distinct and unlikely to be confused with those species which have similar maculations.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Larvae are reddish-brown with no distinguishing markings on the body but with one or two pair of dark spots on the head (see Wagner et al, 2011, for illustrations and a detailed description).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: One of the most common spring species in the Mountains and at Hanging Rock State Park in the Piedmont. We have fewer records from elsewhere in the Piedmont but from sites all the way to the Fall-line. In the Coastal Plain, we only have records from brownwater river floodplains.

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
Flight Comments: Univoltine, with adults flying in the spring, from March into May

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records all come from hardwood habitats, ranging from northern hardwood forests in the High Mountains to brownwater river bottomlands in the Coastal Plain. We have no records, however, from Peatland, Longleaf Pine, or Maritime habitats, despite the extensive surveys that have been conducted in those areas.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae apparently feed on most woody plants, including pines as well as a wide range of hardwoods (Wagner et al., 2011). Wagner (2005) specifically lists apple (Malus), ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), blueberry (Vaccinium), cherry (Prunus), elm (Ulmus), hazelnut (Corylus), hop-hornbeam (Ostrya), hornbeam (Carpinus), maple (Acer), oak (Quercus), poplar (Populus), rose (Rosa), willow (Salix), and witch-alder (Hamamelis). The specific choices throughout North Carolina are unknown. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights, sometimes in fairly large numbers. Also known to frequent bait but more rarely.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S3S4]

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

Comments: We have relatively few records for this species, probably mainly due to its early spring flight. However, it appears to occur in a wide range of hardwood forest habitats and uses an extensive range of host plants, including many common species. It thus is likely to be secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Crocigrapha normani - Norman's Quaker

Photos: 28

	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-04-29 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-25 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-03-31 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2024-04-20 Cabarrus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily L Stanley on 2023-04-19 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-03-25 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-30 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-08 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-04-22 Cabarrus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-11 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-04-09 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-04-04 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-03-28 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-05-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-04-25 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-04-05 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-04-05 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-04-21 Cabarrus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-04-08 Warren Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-04-08 Warren Co. Comment:		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2015-04-01 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2011-04-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2011-04-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2010-04-11 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2010-04-05 Warren Co. Comment: