Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-Fairy moths
ALUCITIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
ARGYRESTHIIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-Batrachedrid Moths
BEDELLIIDAE-Bedelliid Moths
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-Metalmark Moths
COLEOPHORIDAE-Casebearer Moths and Relatives
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-Cosmopterigid Moths
COSSIDAE-Carpenter Moths, Goat Moths
CRAMBIDAE-Grass Moths, Snout Moths
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-Hook-tips and Thyatirid Moths
DRYADAULIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-Grassminer Moths and Relatives
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-Gelechiid Moths; Twirler Moths
GEOMETRIDAE-Geometer Moths, Loopers
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-Sedge Moths
GRACILLARIIDAE-Leafblotch miner moths
HELIOZELIDAE-Shield bearer moths
HEPIALIDAE-Ghost or Swift Moths
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-Tent Caterpillar Moths, Lappet Moths
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-Slug Caterpillar Moths
LIMOCODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-Lyonetiid Moths
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-Mandibulate Moths
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-Minute leaf miners
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-Prominents
OECOPHORIDAE-Oecophorid Moths
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-Diamondback Moths
PRODOXIDAE-Yucca Moths
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-Plume Moths
PYRALIDAE-Pyralid Moths, Snout Moths
SATURNIIDAE-Giant Silkworm Moths
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-Schreckensteiniid Moths
SCYTHRIDIDAE-
SESIIDAE-Clearwing Moths
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-Window-winged Moths
TINEIDAE-Clothes moths
TISCHERIIDAE-Tischerid Moths
TORTRICIDAE-Leafroller Moths
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-Urodid Moths
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-Ermine Moths
YPSOLOPHIDAE-Ypsolophid Moths
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Limacodidae Members:
Acharia stimulea
Adoneta bicaudata
Adoneta pygmaea
Adoneta spinuloides
Apoda biguttata
Apoda rectilinea
Apoda y-inversa
Euclea delphinii
Euclea nanina
Heterogenea shurtleffi
Isa textula
Isochaetes beutenmuelleri
Lithacodes fasciola
Monoleuca semifascia
Natada nasoni
Packardia ceanothi
Packardia elegans
Packardia geminata
Parasa chloris
Parasa indetermina
Phobetron pithecium
Prolimacodes badia
Tortricidia flexuosa of authors
Tortricidia pallida of authors
Tortricidia testacea
Euclea
Members:
Euclea delphinii
Euclea nanina
1 NC Records
Euclea nanina
Dyar, 1899 - Nanina Oak-Slug Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Zygaenoidea
Family:
Limacodidae
P3 Number:
57a0090
MONA Number:
4697.10
Comments:
One of five species in this genus that have been recorded in North America, possibly two of which occur in North Carolina.
Species Status:
Barcoding indicates that Florida populations of
E. nanina
are well separated from
E. delphinii
, but it is unclear whether they hybridize with
E. delphinii
elsewhere, including North Carolina (Marc Epstein, pers. comm. to Bo Sullivan, 2015). More work is needed to determine whether there are any diagnostic characters that can be used to identify this species outside of Florida.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Adult Markings:
This species is similar to
Euclea delphinii
but is smaller and has rounder green spots. Dyar (1891) described this species (originally as
E. nana
) as having purplish brown forewings with a small round discal spot and two rounded pea-green patches, the subapical patch being nearly circular and the sub-basal patch larger and not deeply excavated externally. Both of the green patches are followed by orange ferruginous spots that are broken on the veins. In a key given in Neumoegen and Dyar (1894), the shape of the spots is the key trait separating
E. nanina
and
E. delphinii
, with the spots being rounded (the discal spot included) in
E. nanina
and angular in
E. delphinii
(the discal spot being elongated). This description was repeated by Kimball (1965), which is the only relatively recent description we have found (an illustration is also provided). In North Carolina, the large, green, sub-basal spot of
E. nanina
is broader and rounded on the anterior end versus being relatively narrow and more angular on
E. delphinii
. Because we are unsure of the degree of overlap in these features, any specimens that appear to match the description of
E. nanina
should be collected and submitted for genetic and more detailed morphological analysis.
Wingspan:
15 mm (Neumoegen and Dyar, 1894; they give the expanse for
E. delphinii
as 17-22 mm).
Structural photos
Male genitalia; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Male genitalia (uncus removed); North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Close-up of uncus; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Aedeagus; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Tip of aedeagus; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Tip of aedeagus; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Female genitalia; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Male pelt; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Female pelt; North Carolina; J.B. Sullivan.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
As of 2025, we only have a single record from Halifax County.
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants:
Host plants are apparently unknown.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:
Photo Gallery for
Euclea nanina
- Nanina Oak-Slug Moth
Photos: 2
Recorded by: Patrick Coin on 2013-07-11
Halifax Co.
Comment: BugGuide: Photo#1254252rnrnhttps://bugguide.net/node/view/1254252
Recorded by: Patrick Coin on 2013-07-11
Halifax Co.
Comment: