Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Abagrotis Members:	267 NC Records

Abagrotis alternata (Grote, 1864) - Greater Red Dart

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Noctuini

P3 Number:
933680

MONA Number:
11029.00

Other Common Name:
Mottled Gray Cutworm

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Adult Markings: Abagrotis alternata is generally similar in coloration and patterning to A. anchocelioides, but tends to have larger spots, along with an orbicular spot that is more elongated than that of the relatively rounded orbicular spot of A. anchocelioides. The subterminal line is interrupted on the veins or consists of separated dots, and it lacks a dark blotch where it meets the costa as seen on A. anchoceloides. There is often a strong outward bulge about 1/4 below the apex in alternata, but is rarely present in anchocelioides or is much less prominent (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.). According to Lafontaine (1998), the second segment of the labial palpus is unicolorous reddish-brown, whereas in A. alternata, the apex is yellow-buff, contrasting with the reddish-brown sides.

Wingspan: 3.5 - 4.2 cm (Covell, 1984)

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Older instars are highly arboreal, moving from the leaf litter, where they spend the day, to the canopy at night. Pupates below ground (Wagner et al., 2011)

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Nearly statewide, but relatively uncommon on the coast and potentially absent from some counties.

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. alternata is uncommon in mid-summer when A. anchocelioides is at its peak but is abundant in the fall (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.).

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Woodlands and forests (Wagner et al., 2011). Our records come almost entirely from hardwood forests, with few records from heathy flatwoods or sand ridges. Both dry and mesic hardwood forests are used.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae reportedly feed on dead leaves in early instars but switch to hardwood trees and shrubs in later stages. Wagner et al. (2011) state that most records come from blueberry (Vaccinium) and oak (Quercus), but other heaths, cherry (Prunus), and walnut (Juglans) are also used. Beadle and Leckie (2012) also list hickory (Carya), apple (Malus), and spruce (Picea). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Dry-Mesic Hardwood Forests

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:

Photo Gallery for Abagrotis alternata - Greater Red Dart

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

	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-14 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-07 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2025-06-03 Union Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2025-06-03 Union Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-28 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-24 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-07-09 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell and Simpson Eason on 2024-06-21 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-27 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-10-19 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-14 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-30 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Ivanna Knox, Marietta Shattelroe and Avery Young on 2023-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-09-20 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-11 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-09-06 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-10 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-26 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-18 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-10-30 Cabarrus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-10-15 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Richard Teper, Lior Carlson on 2022-10-15 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-09-17 Madison Co. Comment: