Moths of North Carolina
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Tortricidia Members:
130 NC Records

Tortricidia testacea Packard, 1864 - Early Button Slug Moth

Tortricidia testaceaTortricidia testaceaTortricidia testacea
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Zygaenoidea Family: LimacodidaeP3 Number: 57a0064 MONA Number: 4652.00
Comments: Members of the family Limacodidae have larvae that are known as 'slug caterpillars' due to their unusual movement that entails a high degree of contact with the substrate and the use of abdominal sucker-like appendages for movement. The tend to glide in slow motion across the substrate like a slug. Overwintering occurs in a cocoon that has a hatch-like lid that opens to allow the adult to eclose. This is one of three species in the genus Tortricidia that occur in North America, all of which are found in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Dyar (1898); Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Tortricidia testacea is the easiest of our three Tortricidia to identify, although like the others there can be considerable variation among individuals. The adults have broad forewings that are typically creamy-pink to pale orange, although some may appear reddish-orange or brown. They are distinguished by the broad, diffuse rusty-orange shading that runs diagonally from the mid-point of the inner margin to the apex. This feature can be absent on especially light-colored individuals and hard to distinguish on dark individuals. The head, palps, antennae, thorax and basal portion of the costa are also rusty-orange, and the forewing veins on the distal half are darker than the surrounding ground color. The hindwing varies from rusty-white to light rusty tan. Individuals typically rests with the abdomen curled up above the wings.
Wingspan: 15-26 mm (Covell, 1984).
Adult Structural Features: The male antennae are simple and the palps barely reach the front of the vertex. Males also have two pairs of spurs on the hind tibiae (Forbes, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on the leaves of deciduous hardwoods and appear to be single-brooded in most populations. Dyar (1898) noted that the females lay eggs singly on the undersides of leaves and that there are seven instars. The final instar spins a hard, compact, thin brown cocoon that resembles stiff cardboard. Overwintering occurs in the cocoon in the pre-pupal stage, followed by pupation in the spring and emergence of the adults shortly thereafter.

The late instars are smooth, light green, and broadly oval-shaped with a red-edged, reddish-brown cross-shaped mark on the dorsum. The lateral arms typically extend to or near the bottom edge of the body, which helps separate it from the similar T. flexuosa. The posterior arm of the cross-shaped mark often narrows, which causes the anterior and posterior arms to appear similar and helps to separate this species from the very similar T. pallida (Dyar, 1898; Wagner, 2005). The final instar is around 6.5-9.5 mm long.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Tortricidia testacea is broadly distributed in North America, including much of southern Canada from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island. It also occurs throughout most of the eastern US and in northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Scattered, isolated records are also known for Colorado, Utah, and South Dakota. The range in the eastern US extends from Maine southward to northern Florida, and westward to Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, Missouri, eastern Kansas, Illinois and Minnesota. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, with the possible exception of the barrier islands.
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)

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