Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Limacodidae Members:	Phobetron Members:	62 NC Records

Phobetron pithecium (J.E. Smith, 1797) - Hag Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Zygaenoidea

Family:
Limacodidae

P3 Number:
57a0071

MONA Number:
4677.00

Other Common Name:
Monkey Slug

Comments: Phobetron pithecium is one of two members of the genus that occur in North America and the only one that occurs in the eastern U.S.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Dyars (1896); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: The females have a dark brown to brownish-yellow thorax, abdomen, and legs, with shiny black forewings that bear a band of cream-edged, gray or brown semi-translucent ovals running through the median area, and similar markings between the median area and the base. In fresh condition there is a pair of thin, iridescent, silvery-blue, sub-terminal lines which stand out against the dark forewings. These pale blue scales are also scattered across the rest of the forewings and thorax. Males are similar in appearance but have slightly narrower and more attenuated forewings which are more extensively translucent. Both sexes possess an obvious and distinctive white or cream-colored tuft on the tibia of the middle legs. In worn condition, identification of this species is more challenging as it can look like any number of small, dark moths, such as Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis, although that species is larger, its body shape is longer, and it has completely clear wings. The length from the tip of head to the apex of the forewing at rest averages 13 mm (n = 3).

Wingspan: 20 mm for males and 25 mm for females (Forbes, 1923)

Adult Structural Features: The male antenna is pectinate at the base but simple at the tip. The palps do not reach the vertex and the head is strongly retracted. Each hind tibia has two pairs of spurs, but the upper ones are weak (Forbes, 1923).

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae are polyphagous and prefer trees and shrubs with smooth leaves. Dyars (1896) studied populations in New York and documented nine instars. The females typically lay their eggs singly and they hatch in about 10 days. The larvae feed on the undersides of leaves, except for the final instar that feeds on the upper surface of the leaf. Populations that Dyars (1896) studied were single-brooded, with the larval stage lasting about two months and the last instar larvae growing to 13.5-22 mm in length. The final instar sheds its fleshy appendages prior to spinning a tough, fibrous, brownish cocoon on the ground. The shed tubercles are incorporated into the cocoon. Overwintering occurs in the prepupal stage and pupation occurs following the spring leaf-out.

The early instars develop fleshy appendages along the sides of the body that are covered with setae. These are initially similar in length, but by the mid-stages differ in length, with those on three segments becoming markedly longer than those on adjoining segments. The last instars are unmistakable, with the caterpillar having six pairs of thick arm-like appendages, three of which are very elongated and curved. The body varies from tan to purplish-brown and is covered by dense, hair-like, brown or gray setae. The caterpillars have urticating hairs and spines with chemicals that can deliver a painful sting and cause contact dermatitis (Diaz, 2005). The symptoms resolve rapidly compared to some members of the Limacodidae. This species is sometimes referred to as the Monkey Slug Moth.

Larvae ID Requirements: Unmistakable and widely known.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Phobetron pithecium is found throughout most of the eastern US and in adjacent areas of southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec). In the US the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota. This species occurs essentially statewide in North Carolina, but is uncommon in the Coastal Plain and apparently absent from the highest 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 November in the southernmost areas of the range such as Florida, and primarily from May through September elsewhere. Local populations typically have one brood per year in northern populations and probably two in southern populations (Wagner 2005, Murphy et al. 2011). Most populations in North Carolina appear to be univoltine. As of 2023, our records extend from mid-May through late September.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Most of our records come from forested habitats that vary from mesic to xeric. These include fairly dry upland deciduous forests, lakeshores, mesic cove forests, and xeric Sandhill communities with intermixed hardwoods along streams and seeps.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are broadly polyphagous and feed on deciduous trees and shrubs (Dyars, 1896; Wagner, 2005; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Murphy et al., 2011; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Canadian Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), River Birch (Betula nigra) and other birches, hickories (Carya), chestnuts (Castanea), bittersweet (Celastrus), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), Citrus, dogwoods (Cornus), hazelnuts (Corylus), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Carolina Ash (Fraxinus caroliniana) and other ashes, Loblolly Bay (Gordonia lasianthus), American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), American Holly (Ilex opaca), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), cultivated apples (Malus domestica), Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana), pears (Pyrus), White Oak (Quercus alba), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Shumard Oak (Q. shumardii), Black Oak (Q. velutina), Live Oak (Q. virginiana), brambles (Rubus), roses (Rosa), willows (Salix), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), basswoods (Tilia), and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on Chalk Maple (Acer leucoderme), pawpaw (Asimina), hickory, American Persimmon, Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and White Oak. - View

Observation Methods: The adults come to lights, but appears to be seen more often at sheets than in UV-light traps. Like other limacodid, this species does not come to bait or visit flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 [S4]

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

Comments: Given the broad distribution of its many food plants, we would assume this species would be more commonly encountered than it seems to be in the state. Perhaps its attraction to lights is merely modest, since there are many county records that are based on observations of the larvae. Females are more likely to be encountered at lights than males.

Photo Gallery for Phobetron pithecium - Hag Moth

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

	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kenneth Geisert, David Bradley, Julie Tuttle, Patrick Coin, Kaitlyn Elliott, Becky Watkins on 2024-08-17 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-27 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-27 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-08 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-09-22 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-09-22 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29 Swain Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-09-23 Madison Co. Comment: A late-instar larva.
	Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-09-05 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-07-30 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-06-22 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-06-22 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-06 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-06 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-22 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-07-24 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-17 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-17 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-15 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Thomas C Reed on 2019-08-31 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-08-02 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-22 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-22 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2018-09-14 McDowell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-06-09 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2015-07-18 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: L. Amos on 2014-10-11 Vance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2014-08-15 Warren Co. Comment: