Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Choephora Members:	175 NC Records

Choephora fungorum Grote & Robinson, 1868 - Bent-line Dart

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Noctuini

P3 Number:
933543

MONA Number:
10998.00

Comments: A monotypic genus from eastern North American which occurs across North Carolina.

Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been sequenced and fall within the variation seen throughout its range, no evidence of sibling species.

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 Cerastes fungorum); Lafontaine (1998)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954)

Adult Markings: This species is unmistakable in color and pattern. It is a large, buff or fawn Noctuid, with single, fine, dark brown antemedian and postmedian lines. The regular spots are obsolete, but there is an irregular polygonal patch of dark brown located just inward from the middle of the costa.

Wingspan: 40 mm (Forbes, 1954)

Adult Structural Features: Both male and female genitalia are distinct, have peculiar characteristics and can be used to identify the species.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Eggs hatch in the fall and the caterpillar completes development in the spring. It then pupates during the summer and emerges in the fall. Details of this transition seem to be lacking. One would guess that caterpillars are active on warm winter days but data are lacking. According to Forbes (1954), larvae are typical cutworms; brown, evenly vermiculate, and possess dark subdorsal patches.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found throughout the state, from the Barrier Islands to the High Mountains

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: A sure sign of fall is the appearance of this species. It is single brooded.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Occurs in a variety of wooded and open habitats, including maritime dunes, Longleaf Pine woodlands, floodplain forests, lakeshores, Piedmont glades, and Mountain cove forests. We do not, however, have any records from Peatlands, a habitat type that contains few species of forbs.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are thought to feed on a wide variety of forbs. Robinson et al. (2010) report records (probably all from rearing) from dandelion, clover, and tobacco. BugGuide records (George Smiley) show larvae feeding on dock (Rumex) and Frost Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum) in Texas. We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: Adults come readily to light but no information seems to exist as to whether they are attracted to bait or flowers. One might expect they would come to bait.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]

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

Comments: Widely distributed, feeding on a variety of host plants -- some common -- and occupying an extensive range of habitats, this species appears to be secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Choephora fungorum - Bent-line Dart

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

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal and Nora Murdock on 2025-10-18 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-17 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Jim Petranka on 2025-10-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-17 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Summit School 5th Grade (D.Helm) on 2025-10-16 Forsyth Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-10-13 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-12 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-08 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-04 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-27 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-27 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-11-06 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-11-01 Davidson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-30 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-10-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-10-21 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-10-13 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-10-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-11-10 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-11-09 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-09 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-07 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Becky Watkins on 2023-11-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-06 Edgecombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-10-30 Davie Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-10-28 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-25 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-10-19 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-10-19 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-10-19 Wake Co. Comment: