Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Egira Members:	407 NC Records

Egira alternans (Walker, [1857]) - Alternate Woodling

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Orthosiini

P3 Number:
932799

MONA Number:
10517.00

Comments: A genus of some 23 species, most are North American but others come from Japan, South Africa, Turkey and the type from Europe. It is almost certainly a polyphyletic genus and in need of revision. We have but a single species in North Carolina and it does not seem particularly close to the European type species.

Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been examined and are homogeneous; there is no evidence for sibling species in Eastern North America.

Identification

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

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954), as Xylomiges alternans

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

Adult Markings: Pattern fairly distinct but could be confused with Psaphida rolandi. In Egira look for the alternate light and dark rings on the abdomen, there is often a reddish flush overlaying the forewing pattern, and it is in flight slightly later than Psaphida. In the heath habitats of the Coastal Plain it is often the most common spring noctuid whereas Psaphida species are quite uncommon. Sexes are similar.

Adult Structural Features: Both male and female genitalia are complex and unlikely to be confused with any species superficially resembling this species.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The brownish caterpillar has an orange head and a broad white to pinkish-brown spiracular stripe extending the length of the body, but that is also true for caterpillars of Orthosia revicta and no good characters for separating these two species have been found (Wagner, 2005). Apparently the European species hibernates before pupating but that has not been reported for our species.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found in wooded habitats from the coastal islands to the higher altitudes in the western part of the state.

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: We have records from nearly every type of habitat in the state, from Maritime Scrub, Peatlands, Longleaf Pine Habitats and river floodplains in the Coastal Plain to mesic and dry ridges in the Piedmont and Mountains.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are reported from a wide variety of woody plants. Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list buckeye (Aesculus), Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), silverbell (Halesia), walnut (Juglans), honeysuckle (Lonicera), Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), cherry (Prunus), oak (Quercus), Rhododendron, and blueberry (Vaccinium). We have found it on blueberry, Black Oak (Quercus velutina), and Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), but it likely has a much broader range of foodplants. J.B. Sullivan also reared larvae from Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum), Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis), and Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera). - View

Observation Methods: Adults can be very common in traps in March and April (and May in the mountains). They do not come to bait but have been seen at spring flowers such as plum.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

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

Comments: We have numerous records for this species, unlike many others that fly at the same time of the year. Egira appears to be one of the most ubiquitous and abundant species in the state and is quite secure.

Photo Gallery for Egira alternans - Alternate Woodling

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

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-14 Bladen Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-09 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-06 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2025-04-04 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-02 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-31 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-29 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-28 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-28 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-28 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-14 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2025-03-11 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-13 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-04-18 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-04-18 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-04-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Avery Young on 2024-04-13 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-04-10 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-04-10 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-04-08 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-02 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-02 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-01 Buncombe Co. Comment: