Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Cerastis Members:
25 NC Records

Cerastis fishii (Grote, 1878) - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: NoctuiniP3 Number: 933537.00 MONA Number: 10997.00
Comments: The genus Cerastis has undergone significant change in the past 20 years, primarily due to its fusion with Metalepsis. It now contains about 13 species almost equally split between the Nearctic (mostly Metalepsis)and the Palearctic (mostly Cerastis). The combined genus is closely related to Choephora. We have two species in North Carolina, both of which fly early in the spring.
Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been examined and are similar to those from other parts of the species's range, with no evidence of hidden species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Lafontaine (1998)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Two color forms occur, one reddish, the other gray. There is a distinct black rectangular spot on the forewing costa which is absent in C. tenebrifera. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 35 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: This species, formerly in Metalepsis, differs from C. tenebrifera in having biserrate rather than bipectinate antennae in the male. Both male and female genitalia are distinct from those in C. tenebrifera and resolution of the species should present no problems.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Based on photographs shown on MPG, larvae are fairly stout, purplish-red, and have pale stripe along the side
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Our records come from the Mountains and Outer Coastal Plain.
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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