Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Geometridae Members:	Macaria Members:	66 NC Records

Macaria ulsterata (Pearsall, 1913) - Birch Angle

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Ennominae

Tribe:
Macariini

P3 Number:
91a0751

MONA Number:
6330.00

MONA Synonym:
Macaria notata

Other Common Name:
American Birch Angle

Comments: This is one of 73 species in this genus that occur in North America, with 17 species occurring in North Carolina. In the latest checklist of North American Lepidoptera (Pohl and Nanz, 2023), North American members of the genus Speranza and Epelis were treated as junior synonyms of Macaria. Macaria ulsterata is included in the hardwood-feeding Ulsterata Group (= the Notata Group of Ferguson, 2008), of which M. aemulataria and M. promiscuata are the other members that occur in North Carolina. Ferguson (2008) described the form that occurs in the Southern Appalachians as subspecies appalachiata.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Ferguson (2008)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001); Ferguson (2008)

Adult Markings: A pale gray or white species with a yellow to rust-brown head and the usual Macaria pattern of lines, spots, and subapical excavation on the outer margin. Distinguished by its yellow head from the signaria group of conifer feeders, which includes a number of species with similar pale gray and black markings. It lacks the yellowish or brownish tint found in the two other members of the notata group, aemulataria and promiscuata, and has a darker brown subapical mark at the costa, particularly compared to promiscuata, which has a brighter red-brown mark. Macaria bisignata is similar in size and pale grayish coloration, but usually has a more brownish tint or dusting -- particularly in the subterminal area -- and much smaller dark spots on the subterminal line.

Adult Structural Features: Males are similar to those of M. aemulataria in having a slender, non-inflated hind tibia and lacking a pecten on the third abdominal sternite (Ferguson, 2008), features otherwise found in most species of Macaria, including M. promiscuata.

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

Immatures and Development: Larvae are glossy green to brown, often with a dark head and elongated pale spots that extend forward from each of the abdominal spiracles (Wagner et al., 2001). Macaria larvae found feeding on alder or birch in the Blue Ridge are likely to represent this species (see Wagner et al., 2001, and Ferguson, 2008, for details).

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Confined to the Blue Ridge. Ferguson (2008) noted that subspecies appalachiana occurs at sites between 3,200 and 6,000 ft, which is consistent with our records.

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: Ferguson (2008) noted that M. ulsterata (as notata) appears to be univoltine throughout its range. This appears to be true for our records, which show it flying between late spring and late summer.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Almost all of our records come from upland sites in the High Mountains, from stands of Northern Hardwoods where Yellow Birch is common.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are narrowly polyphagous, reportedly feeding on birch, alder, and willow (Ferguson, 2008). Ferguson noted that subspecies appalachiana is almost always found where Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) occurs. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to 15 watt blacklights but we do not have any records from either bait or flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Montane Mesic Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4G5 SNR [S3S4]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: Appears to be a habitat specialist, strongly associated with Northern Hardwood communities. As such, it is likely to be at least somewhat vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which are likely to reduce its range to just the highest elevations in the Blue Ridge.

Photo Gallery for Macaria ulsterata - Birch Angle

Photos: 15

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-25 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2023-06-18 Avery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-16 Avery Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-15 Avery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-29 Avery Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-27 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2019-07-30 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2019-06-30 Ashe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2015-06-18 Avery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2015-06-18 Avery Co. Comment:		Recorded by: T. Nergart on 2015-05-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf on 2014-06-07 Avery Co. Comment: