Moths of North Carolina
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186 NC Records

Anicla lubricans (Guenée, 1852) - Slippery Dart

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: NoctuiniP3 Number: 933214.00 MONA Number: 10901.00 MONA Synonym: Euagrotis lubricans
Comments: One of fifteen species in this genus that occur in North American north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt), six of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Species Status: Previously placed in genus Euagrotis (e.g., Hodges et al., 1984; Covell, 1984), which is now treated as a subgenus of Anicla (Lafontaine, 2004)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Euagrotis lubricans); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Lafontaine (2004)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized, reddish-to grayish Noctuid. The head, collar, thorax, and the basal third of the forewings are generally light- to medium-gray; the median and submedian areas of the forewing are usually shaded with reddish; a subapical dark patch may exist on the costa and the terminal area is also often dark. The prothoracic collar lacks or has only a thin, black transverse band, and the transverse lines on the forewings are often thin and discontinuous, usually most strongly marked at he costa. Hindwings are fuscous in both sexes (Lafontaine, 2004). Anicla sullivani is similar in size, color, and markings, but usually has a well-defined dark band on the collar. Many individuals of these two species cannot be distinguished based on external features and must be dissected to determine their identity. Other members of this genus may have reddish-gray forewings but have much paler or glistening white hindwings.
Wingspan: 30-40 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Forewing Length: 15-19 mm (Lafontaine, 2004)
Adult Structural Features: Males possess brushes that are usually concealed within pouches on the underside of the first abdominal segment; these brushes are absent in A. sullivani (Lafontaine, 2004). Male and female reproductive structures are otherwise indistinguishable.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Immatures and Development: Immature stages are undescribed (Lafontaine, 2004)
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Most of our records come from the southern half of the Coastal Plain, including the Fall-line Sandhills. Specimens from other parts of the state need to be re-examined to determine their identity.
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: This species appears to fly during most of the growing season, with peaks in the spring and late summer/fall.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Uncertain, given the confusion of records for lubricans and sullivani, but this species appears to be most frequent in Longleaf Pine habitats, including wet savannas as well as dry sandhills.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants for this species are unknown (Lafontaine, 2004), but most members of this genus feed on grasses, as well as on forbs in some cases (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Observation Methods: Comes well to lights and has also been observed at bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Fire-maintained Herblands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: W3
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4G5 [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: In North Carolina, this species appears to be a fairly strong specialist on Longleaf Pine habitats but the overall picture is clouded due to past confusion with Anicla sullivani. A clearer picture of the distribution, abundance, and habitat associations needs to be based on more definitely identified specimens and currently an accurate assessment of its conservation status cannot be made.

 Photo Gallery for Anicla lubricans - Slippery Dart

Photos: 1

Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2013-05-11
Mecklenburg Co.
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