Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFCrambidae Members:
Microtheoris Members:
15 NC Records

Microtheoris ophionalis (Walker, 1859) - Yellow-veined Moth

Microtheoris ophionalisMicrotheoris ophionalisMicrotheoris ophionalis
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: OdontiinaeTribe: OdontiiniP3 Number: 80a1133 MONA Number: 4796.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Munroe (1972)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a small, distinctive moth that has brick-red to brownish-red coloration on the head, thorax and ground of the forewing, along with prominent palps that project forward. The forewing has a curved, blackish PM line, a prominent yellow subterminal line, a blackish discal spot, and yellowish scales along the veins. The fringe is black and the hindwing dark gray. Microtheoris ophionalis is a wide-ranging species that shows substantial geographic variation in coloration. Five subspecies are currently recognized, with populations in North Carolina conforming to the description above.
Forewing Length: 5.5-7 mm (Powell and Opler, 2009).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval ecology and life history are undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Microtheoris ophionalis has a very large range that includes southern Canada, much of the US, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, and northern South America. It is most commonly found in North America in a broad swath that extends from British Columbia southward to southern California and eastward through the Rockies and Great Plains to the Gulf Coast states and Florida. More scattered populations occur northward to North Carolina and the midwestern states. As of 2023, all of our records are from the southern Coastal Plain, including the Sandhills and maritime communities.
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: Adults in southern populations in the US mostly fly from February through October, while those in northern population are active from May through September. As of 2023, our records extend from late-May through late-August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Populations in North Carolina are generally found in sandy, xeric communities.
Larval Host Plants: Despite being very widespread and common, the feeding ecology and host plants of this species (if any) are undocumented. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and are occasionally seen during the day.
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: This species appears to reach its northern limits along the Atlantic Coast states in North Carolina, where it appears to be uncommon.

 Photo Gallery for Microtheoris ophionalis - Yellow-veined Moth

Photos: 3

Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2017-08-17
Carteret Co.
Comment: