Moths of North Carolina
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16 NC Records

Scoparia penumbralis Dyar, 1906 - Dark-brown Scoparia Moth

Scoparia penumbralis
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: ScopariinaeTribe: [Scopariini]P3 Number: 80a1370 MONA Number: 4717.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Munroe (1972)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species is easily recognized by its rounded forewing and the dark-fuscous and almost uniformly colored head, palp, thorax, forewing and hindwing. The markings on the forewing are obscured by the dark coloration. The antemedial line is obliquely curved, and the orbicular and claviform spots are small, blackish fuscous, and set on the antemedial line (Munroe, 1972). The orbicular is more basal than the claviform, and the postmedial line is almost straight and more-or-less runs parallel to the termen.
Wingspan: 12-15 mm (Forbes, 1923)
Adult Structural Features: Munroe (1972) has descriptions of the male and female genitalia and an illustration of the female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Scoparia penumbralis is found in eastern North America. It occurs in southern Canada from Saskatchewan eastward to Nova Scotia and Price Edward Island, and in the US from Maine westward through the Great lakes region to northern Minnesota. Populations extend southward through the Appalachian region to western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama. As of 2023, all of our records except one are from the Blue Ridge, where individuals have been collected from a wide range of elevations. We have one record from Hanging Rock State Park in the Piedmont in mountainous terrain.
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: The adults have been found from May through September in different areas of the range, with a peak in activity typically in June and July in northern populations. As of 2023, our records are from early May through early June.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are associated with mesic hardwood or northern hardwood-conifer forests.
Larval Host Plants: The feeding ecology of the larvae is undocumented, but in all likelihood they do not feed on the leaves of vascular plants. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Populations in North Carolina are near the southern limit of the range and appear to be patchily distributed in the Blue Ridge. More information is needed on host use, distribution and local abundance before we can accurately assess the conservation status of this species.

 Photo Gallery for Scoparia penumbralis - Dark-brown Scoparia Moth

Photos: 2

Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2017-05-02
Stokes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Doug Blatny/Jackie Nelson on 2012-07-25
Ashe Co.
Comment: