Moths of North Carolina
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Common Name:
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View PDFLimacodidae Members: 148 NC Records

Prolimacodes badia (Hübner, 1822) - Skiff Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Zygaenoidea Family: LimacodidaeP3 Number: 660029.00 MONA Number: 4671.00
Comments: One of two members of the genus to occur in North America and the only one that occurs in the eastern U.S. Synonymies include Limacodes scapha and Prolimacodes scapha.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, BAMONATechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Distinctively patterned with a sharply bicolored forewing that is chocolate brown along the costa, expanding to a broad, half ellipsis across the outer two-thirds of the forewing, centered by a small black dot. The remaining portion of the forewing is light brown to smoky gray-brown, blending diffusely into a cream, white, or silver border. A prominent thoracic hump, triangular at the rear, gives the moth a "front heavy" appearance. It does not rest with abdomen curled up above the wings.
Wingspan: 25 mm (Forbes, 1923)
Adult Structural Features: Length from tip of head to apex of forewing at rest averages 14 mm (n = 10)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The slug-like caterpillar is quite distinctive with a flat dorsum and steeply angled sides. Along the mid-point of two subdorsal ridges are short pointed projections, typically brown or white, with a white spot along ridge near the tail. A pale line down the dorsum and pale lines differentiating the segments on the dorsum and sides recall scutes on a turtle shell. Anterior end of caterpillar is rounded while the posterior end shows a short, sharply-pointed tail (Wagner, 2005). The color is highly variable from entirely cream or light green to green with patches of pink or green with large areas of brown.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably occurs statewide, from the Barrier Islands to High 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: Probably single-brooded, flying mainly from April to August
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come a wide variety of hardwood- and/or heath-containing habitats, including both bottomland forests, sandhills, dry ridges, and cove forests.
Larval Host Plants: Broadly polyphagous, feeding upon Birches, Cherries, Hawthorns, Hop Hornbeam, Maples, Oak, Poplars, Willow, Blueberries, Roses, and many other woody plants (Wagner, 2005).
Observation Methods: Readily attracted to lights but not to bait or flowers
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it in state parks and on other public lands.
Comments: Occurs commonly across the state, occupies a wide range of habitats, and utilizes a broad range of host plants, many of which are common species. Consequently, appears secure in North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Prolimacodes badia - Skiff Moth

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

Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-09-03
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-08-27
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-08-21
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-14
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-06
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-28
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-17
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-16
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-16
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-14
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-07
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-29
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-16
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-01
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-21
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-20
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-17
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-16
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Taylor on 2020-08-27
Beaufort Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Taylor on 2020-08-27
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-22
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-18
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-15
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-07-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-07-08
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-21
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-09
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-31
Guilford Co.
Comment: