Moths of North Carolina
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Chloridea Members:
106 NC Records

Chloridea virescens (Fabricius, 1777) - Tobacco Budworm Moth

Chloridea virescensChloridea virescensChloridea virescensChloridea virescens
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: HeliothinaeP3 Number: 932054 MONA Number: 11071.00 MONA Synonym: Heliothis virescens
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Chloridea virescens and subflexa are similar in color and in having three straight lines running across the forewings. The hindwings provide the clearest way to separate the two: both have white hindwings, but virescens has a strong blackish or reddish margin, whereas subflexa has only a faint gray marginal band, if any. BugGuide also suggests that rusty coloring on the forelegs is characteristic of virescens, which appears to be true for at least some individuals but examination of specimens in our collection does not indicate a complete correlation between foreleg color and hindwing color and pattern (J.B. Sullivan, pers. obs.). We continue to recommend that photographs be submitted that show at least a portion of the outer margin of the hindwings.
Wingspan: 28-35 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of plants, including many crop species. Wagner (2005) specifically lists soybean, cotton, tobacco, geranium, ground-cherry, and rose. In North Carolina, larvae have been observed on Indian Jointvetch (Aeschynomene indica), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Cultivated Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), beardtongue (Penstemon sp.), coneflower (Rudbeckia sp.), Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia), Hairy Leafcup (Smallanthus uvedalia), and Garden Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). - 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 Chloridea virescens - Tobacco Budworm Moth

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

Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-20
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-08-17
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-17
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-14
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-09
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-09
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-07
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-09-13
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-09-07
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-07
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-26
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-23
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-23
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2023-08-07
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-22
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-09-16
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-09-01
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-14
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-14
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-14
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-14
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-08-01
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-08-01
Sampson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-08-01
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-26
Greene Co.
Comment: