Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Peridroma Members: 151 NC Records

Peridroma saucia (Hübner, [1808]) - Variegated Cutworm Moth

Peridroma sauciaPeridroma sauciaPeridroma sauciaPeridroma saucia
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Noctuini		P3 Number:
933211		 MONA Number:
10915.00		 Other Common Name:
Pearly Underwing
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
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.
Peridroma sauciaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are widely polyphagous on a wide range of plants, including many crop species. Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list carrot, strawberry, apple, alfalfa, tobacco, rose, tomato, potato, clover, wheat, grape, and corn. In North Carolina, we have a record for a larva feeding on Garden Lettuce (Lactuca sativa). - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Peridroma saucia - Variegated Cutworm Moth

 59 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-07-02
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2025-06-12
Moore Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-03
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2025-03-19
Orange Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-04
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-14
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-14
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-07-08
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-29
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-13
Durham Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-09
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-09
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-29
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-29
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-09
Pender Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-05
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-17
Wake Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-03-03
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-02-10
Wake Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-22
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-16
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-10-26
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-24
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Peridroma saucia
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-24
Wilson Co.
Comment: