Moths of North Carolina
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Abagrotis Members:
27 NC Records

Abagrotis anchocelioides (Guenée, 1852) - Blueberry Budworm Moth

Abagrotis anchocelioidesAbagrotis anchocelioides
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: NoctuiniP3 Number: 933688 MONA Number: 11045.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized, dull reddish-brown Dart. The head, thorax, and ground color of the forewings are all reddish-fuscous with an iridescent crimson sheen in some lights (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian and postmedian lines are double, with the postmedian is followed by a series of pale points. The subterminal line is continuous and somewhat waved, and often meets a small blackish blotch where it strikes the costa. It is followed by a pale, but not strongly contrasting, terminal area. The orbicular and reniform are dark brown and surrounded by a contrasting luteous outline; their maximum width generally tends to be smaller than the space that separates them.

Abagrotis alternata is similar, 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 the dark blotch where it meets the costa is absent. 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: 37 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Nearly all of our records come from lower elevations in the 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. anchocelioides is basically a June-July species and alternata is uncommon at that time but abundant in the fall (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.)
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is listed by the HOSTS database (Robinson et al., 2010), but this host requires confirmation. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
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 anchocelioides - Blueberry Budworm Moth

Photos: 13

Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-10-31
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-10-21
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-26
Avery Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-09-13
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-24
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-13
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2014-09-25
Ashe Co.
Comment: