Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFCrambidae Members: Urola Members: 182 NC Records

Urola nivalis (Drury, 1773) - Snowy Urola

Urola nivalisUrola nivalisUrola nivalisUrola nivalis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Crambidae		Subfamily:
Crambinae		Tribe:
Argyriini		P3 Number:
80a1456		 MONA Number:
5464.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Martinez and Brown (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a distinctive species that has the head and palps silvery-white above with chestnut- brown scales along the sides. The forelegs and antennae are also chestnut brown, while the thorax is mostly white with a faint line of brownish-orange scales near the center. The forewing is silvery-white and unmarked except for a single brownish-black spot near the middle of the inner margin, and a dark-brown to blackish terminal line on the outer margin. The fringe is golden-brown, while the hindwing is white with a prominent white fringe. Urola nivalis is similar to Argyria gonogramma, but the latter has two dark spots in the middle of the wing and two short costal streaks on the apical half of the wing.
Wingspan: 20 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Urola nivalis is a very common and widespread species in the central and eastern U.S. and adjoining areas of southern Canada (Manitoba; Ontario; Quebec; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia). In the U.S. this species is found in every state east of a line running from Arizona northeastward to North Dakota. It also occurs in the West Indies and portions of Mexico. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Urola nivalisAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: This species flies year-round or nearly so in southern states such as Florida, Alabama and Texas, and mostly from May through September in the northern portion of the range. As of 2023, our records range from late-April through mid-October. Local populations in North Carolina appear to have two or three generations per year except in the higher elevations in the Blue Ridge.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records are mostly from residential and suburban neighborhoods, and fragmented landscapes with mixtures of fields, forests, and roadway and utility corridors.
Larval Host Plants: Urola nivalis has been generally reported to feed on 'grasses' (Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Solis 2008), but we are unaware of any specific studies or rearing records that document this or report specific grass host species. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This is a common species that occurs statewide and appears to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Urola nivalis - Snowy Urola

 145 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-11
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-25
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock on 2025-08-25
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-09
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-27
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-09
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-05-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-14
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-01
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
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:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-08-14
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-05
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-04
Madison Co.
Comment:
Urola nivalis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-28
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Urola nivalis
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-07-19
Carteret Co.
Comment: