Moths of North Carolina

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Natada nasoni (Grote, 1876) - Nason's Slug Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Zygaenoidea

Family:
Limacodidae

P3 Number:
57a0077

MONA Number:
4679.00

Comments: This is one of only two representatives of this genus in North America and the only one to occur in the East.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Dyars (1899); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: In this species the thorax and head tend to be rusty brown and the antennae and palps brown. The ground color of the forewing varies from grayish brown to yellowish brown and has scattered, dark brown flecking throughout. The forewing has two dark, straight lines that are pale-edged posteriorly. One line runs diagonally from about the midpoint of the inner margin to the subapical region of the costa at about four-fifths. The other runs parallel to the outer margin from near the anal angle to the costa just below the apex. The two lines converge towards the costa, but do not join and are separated by a small gap. This species does not rest with the abdomen curled upward between the wings as seen in some slug moths.

Wingspan: 25 mm (Forbes, 1923)

Adult Structural Features: The male's antenna is pectinate and the palps do not reach the vertex. There are two pairs of spurs on the hind tibia in both sexes (Forbes, 1923).

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

Immatures and Development: Dyars (1899) studied populations near the northern range limit in New York where the adults emerge in the early evening and mate. The females lay whitish eggs the following night either singly or in small groups on the undersides of leaves. The larvae rest on the undersides of leaves and have eight instars before pupating in late summer. The fully grown larvae vary from 13.5-18.5 mm and pupate on the ground where they spin a dark brown to blackish cocoon. The cocoon is relatively thin and less firm than those of other slug moths. The larvae overwinter in the prepupal stage and pupate in the spring.

The slug-like larvae are stocky with a pale green body. The later instars have a dorsolateral row of stinging spines on each side. The dorsal spines are borne from red-orange warts that are connected by a thin, yellow stripe (Wagner, 2005). The lower margins of the body and thoracic region have smaller clusters of spines that are born from faint red-orange warts, while the posterior end has two prominent tails or horns that are armed with black and white spines. Most specimens are marked with a series of wavy, vertical, pale yellow lines along the sides, along with two parallel, undulating, pale-yellow lines in the mid-dorsal region that resemble a series of hourglass-like marks.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Natada nasoni is mostly found in the southeastern US, with the range extending from Long Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, southward to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, Missouri, and southern Illinois. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina from barrier islands along the coast to lower and mid-elevational sites 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 found from February through November in Florida, but mostly fly from April through September elsewhere. Local populations in North Carolina are univoltine, which is likely the case for most populations throughout the range. As of 2023, our records extend from early May through early August, with one late-season record from mid-September.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records come from a wide range of hardwood-containing habitats. These include maritime forest and scrub on the barrier Islands, bottomland and other riparian and lakeshore habitats, dry oak-hickory forests in the Sandhills and Piedmont, and mesic forests in the Blue Ridge. This species is also commonly found in semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous and feed on deciduous hardwoods (Dyars, 1899; Wagner, 2005; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Murphy et al., 2011; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include birches (Betula), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) and other hickories, American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), White Oak (Quercus alba), Chestnut Oak (Q. montana), Chinquapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Black Oak (Q. velutina), and elms (Ulmus). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded feeding on Red Maple (Acer rubrum), hickory, American Persimmon, Bear Huckleberry (Gaylussacia ursina), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Pin Oak (Quercus palustris), and Willow Oak (Q. phellos). - View

Observation Methods: Readily attracted to lights. Like other limacodids, the adults do not come to bait or visit flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

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 on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: This species occurs statewide in North Carolina and occupies a wide range of habitats. It also utilizes a large number of host plants, many of which are common. It appears to be secure in our state.

Photo Gallery for Natada nasoni - Nason's Slug Moth

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

	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-09-14 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-09-13 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-10 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-10 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-10 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-06 Durham Co. Comment: Feeding on Sweetgum
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-31 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Patrick Coin and Jim Petranka (photo). on 2025-08-31 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-21 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, David Bradley, Becky Watkins, David Cheng, Michelle Lotker, Tracy Feldman, et al. on 2025-06-28 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-06-26 Forsyth Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-21 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-21 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-07 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-14 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-14 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-04 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: H. Talcott on 2024-06-25 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-25 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-06-24 Transylvania Co. Comment: