Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Megalopygidae Members:	Norape Members:	41 NC Records

Norape cretata (Grote, 1864) - White Flannel Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Zygaenoidea

Family:
Megalopygidae

P3 Number:
57a0044

MONA Number:
4650.00

MONA Synonym:
Norape ovina

Comments: One of three members of this genus in North America and the only eastern representative.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Hyche (2002); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: Norape cretata is smaller than other flannel moths and slimmer in build. The forewing, hindwing, body, palps, and legs are satiny-white, and the base of the forewing and head have tufts of long, white, silky hairs. The body is stout and hairy, and the wings are rounded. The male's antenna is broadly pectinate and orangish. If not examined closely, N. ovina could easily be passed off as Hyphantria cunea or any of several species of the unmarked forms of Spilosoma. It can be separated from those species by the proportionally shorter and rounder wings, the long, straight hairs that protrude upward from the thorax, and the orange, pectinate antennae.

Wingspan: 30 mm (Forbes, 1923)

Forewing Length: 11-17 mm (Powell and Opler, 2009).

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed primarily on the foliage of hardwood trees. The following life history account is based on a detailed study by Hyche (2002) in Alabama where the larvae fed on Eastern Redbud. The females lay yellowish eggs in linear rows on the undersides of leaves and hatching occurs about seven days later. The early-instar larvae feed in groups initially, then disperse and feed individually throughout the host plant. Individual trees can often have dozens of feeding larvae. The final instar larvae crawl to the ground and pupate in a tough, brown silken cocoon just below the soil surface or in leaf litter. The larvae overwinter in the prepupal stage and pupate in the spring. Populations are univoltine in North Carolina, with larvae actively feeding in August and September.

The larvae are strikingly different than other flannel moths by lacking the long, dense body hairs. The caterpillar is black with orange thoracic segments and distinct rows of yellow spots along the dorsum and sides (Wagner, 2005). The larvae have urticating hairs and venomous spines and can cause a painful sting and rash if brushed against, so be careful when handling!

Larvae ID Requirements: Unmistakable and widely known.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Norape cretata is mostly restricted to the southeastern US where specimens have been found from Maryland southward to southern Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and southern Ohio. Populations appear to be absent or rare in the Atlantic Coastal Plain between Virginia and northern Florida. As of 2023, our records are mostly from the Piedmont, with a few records from lower elevations in the Blue Ridge.

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
Flight Comments: The adults have been observed from March through October in different areas of the range, with most flying between June and September. Local populations appear to have one broad per year in most areas of the range, with perhaps two broods per year in the southernmost populations in Florida. Local populations in North Carolina are univoltine. As of 2023, all of our records are from early-July through early-August.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This species prefers wooded to open habitats, particularly those that support Eastern Redbud. Most of our records are from residential areas, with a few from more natural, forested sites.

Larval Host Plants: Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) appears to be the most important host, but several other species are also used (Forbes, 1923; Hyche, 2002; Wagner 2005; Heppner, 2007). The other reported host include Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), hackberries (Celtis), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), greenbriar (Smilax), and elms (Ulmus). In North Carolina, we have several records for larvae feeding on Eastern Redbud and one on Honey Locust. Larvae feed communally in large numbers and David George has recorded hundreds defoliating redbuds in an urban park in Durham. He also noted a few larvae eating an American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) that was adjacent to the redbuds. Most likely, they were only using this secondary host after the preferred host had been defoliated. - View

Observation Methods: Almost all of our adult records come from the use of blacklights (one from building lights), but very few from traps as opposed to sheets. This suggests that it may settle fairly quickly once drawn into a light source and may be significantly undersampled where traps are used alone. Adults of this family have reduced mouth parts and probably do not feed; consequently, we have no records from bait or flowers. The larvae are commonly seen on Eastern Redbud and occasionally on other host plants.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 [S3S4]

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

Comments: Norape cretata can be locally abundant in the Piedmont where Eastern Redbud is present and appears to be secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Norape cretata - White Flannel Moth

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

	Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-06 Durham Co. Comment: Feeding on Honey Locust		Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-06 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-07-21 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-07-21 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2024-09-24 Polk Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-08-29 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-15 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-07 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-20 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Larry Chen on 2023-09-14 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: L. Knepp on 2023-09-09 Surry Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, John Petranka on 2023-08-21 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, John Petranka on 2023-08-21 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2022-09-01 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-20 Durham Co. Comment: Larvae were on Eastern Redbud.
	Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-20 Durham Co. Comment: Larvae were on Eastern Redbud.		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-24 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Williams on 2022-07-10 Surry Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-07-12 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-07-11 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-07-11 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Parker Backstrom on 2017-07-28 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-08-06 Warren Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-08-06 Warren Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Coin, C. Sorenson on 2015-07-24 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, S. Hall on 2015-07-22 Stanly Co. Comment:		Recorded by: T.Phillips on 2014-09-24 Rutherford Co. Comment: