Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Agrotis Members:
1 NC Records

Agrotis volubilis Harvey, 1874 - Voluble Dart Moth

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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: NoctuiniP3 Number: 933521.00 MONA Number: 10659.00
Comments: One of twenty-three species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), seven of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A typical Dart, with a strong, elongated claviform spot that is strongly outlined with black and filled with gray; this spot is directly connected to a heavy, dark basal dash that distinctively crosses the antemedian line (Forbes, 1954). This spot strongly contrasts with the light brown ground color of the lower portion of the wing. The orbicular is rounded and not as extended as in venerabilis; both the orbicular and reniform are distinctly darker than the dark shade that extends along the costa to the reniform. A small dark wedge may follow the reniform, similar but smaller than the mark found in Agrotis ipsilon. The head and collar are dark brown, contrasting with the pale tegulae and thoracic crest. The hindwings are whitish, particularly in the males, but shaded with fuscous. Agrostis venerabilis is similar but has a weaker basal dash that does not cross the antemedian. Agrotis malefida has a much shorter and thicker claviform and a blackish collar. Agrotis ipsilon always has a dark wedge beyond the reniform, which is longer and more sharply pointed than any wedge that occurs in volubilis.
Wingspan: 35-40 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Forewing Length: Male antennae are simple, with tufted bristles (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)

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Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants:
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [W3]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [SU]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: North Carolina specimens need to be confirmed.