Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Geometridae Members:
Acasis viridata
Aethalura intertexta
Alsophila pometaria
Anavitrinella pampinaria
Antepione thisoaria
Anticlea multiferata
Anticlea vasiliata
Apodrepanulatrix liberaria
Besma endropiaria
Besma quercivoraria
Biston betularia
Cabera erythemaria
Cabera quadrifasciaria
Cabera variolaria
Campaea perlata
Caripeta angustiorata
Caripeta aretaria
Caripeta divisata
Caripeta piniata
Cepphis armataria
Cepphis decoloraria
Ceratonyx satanaria
Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria
Chloropteryx tepperaria
Cladara atroliturata
Cladara limitaria
Cladara unidentified species
Cleora projecta
Cleora sublunaria
Cleora unidentified species
Costaconvexa centrostrigaria
Cyclophora myrtaria
Cyclophora nanaria
Cyclophora new species 1 nr. culicaria
Cyclophora packardi
Cyclophora pendulinaria
Cyclophora unidentified species
Cymatophora approximaria
Dichorda iridaria
Digrammia continuata
Digrammia eremiata
Digrammia gnophosaria
Digrammia ocellinata
Digrammia ordinata
Disclisioprocta stellata
Dyspteris abortivaria
Dysstroma citrata
Dysstroma hersiliata
Dysstroma truncata
Ectropis crepuscularia
Ennomos magnaria
Ennomos subsignaria
Entephria lagganata
Entephria separata
Epimecis hortaria
Epirrhoe alternata
Epirrita autumnata
Episemasia solitaria
Erannis tiliaria
Erastria coloraria
Erastria cruentaria
Eubaphe mendica
Eubaphe meridiana
Euchlaena amoenaria
Euchlaena deductaria
Euchlaena effecta
Euchlaena irraria
Euchlaena johnsonaria
Euchlaena madusaria
Euchlaena marginaria
Euchlaena milnei
Euchlaena muzaria
Euchlaena obtusaria
Euchlaena serrata
Euchlaena tigrinaria
Euchlaena unidentified species
Eufidonia convergaria
Eufidonia notataria
Eufidonia unidentified species
Eugonobapta nivosaria
Eulithis diversilineata
Eulithis explanata
Eulithis gracilineata
Eulithis molliculata
Eulithis propulsata
Eulithis unidentified species
Eumacaria madopata
Euphyia intermediata
Eupithecia absinthiata
Eupithecia affinata
Eupithecia broui
Eupithecia cimicifugata
Eupithecia cocoata
Eupithecia coloradensis
Eupithecia columbiata
Eupithecia exudata
Eupithecia fletcherata
Eupithecia herefordaria
Eupithecia indistincta
Eupithecia jejunata
Eupithecia lariciata
Eupithecia matheri
Eupithecia miserulata
Eupithecia mutata
Eupithecia palpata
Eupithecia peckorum
Eupithecia perfusca
Eupithecia regina
Eupithecia russeliata
Eupithecia satyrata
Eupithecia subfuscata
Eupithecia swettii
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Eupithecia unidentified species
Eusarca confusaria
Eusarca fundaria
Eusarca packardaria
Eutrapela clemataria
Exelis pyrolaria
Gandaritis atricolorata
Geometrinae unidentified species
Glena cognataria
Glena cribrataria
Glena plumosaria
Glenoides texanaria
Gueneria similaria
Haematopis grataria
Heliomata cycladata
Heliomata infulata
Hesperumia sulphuraria
Heterophleps refusaria
Heterophleps triguttaria
Homochlodes fritillaria
Horisme intestinata
Hydrelia albifera
Hydrelia condensata
Hydrelia inornata
Hydrelia lucata
Hydrelia unidentified species
Hydria unidentified species
Hydriomena divisaria
Hydriomena exculpata
Hydriomena pluviata
Hydriomena renunciata
Hydriomena transfigurata
Hydriomena unidentified species
Hypagyrtis brendae
Hypagyrtis esther
Hypagyrtis unidentified species
Hypagyrtis unipunctata
Hypomecis buchholzaria
Hypomecis gnopharia_umbrosaria complex
Hypomecis longipectinaria
Hypomecis umbrosaria
Hypomecis unidentified species
Idaea bonifata
Idaea celtima
Idaea demissaria
Idaea eremiata
Idaea furciferata
Idaea hilliata
Idaea micropterata
Idaea obfusaria
Idaea ostentaria
Idaea productata
Idaea scintillularia
Idaea tacturata
Idaea violacearia
Ilexia intractata
Iridopsis cypressaria
Iridopsis defectaria
Iridopsis ephyraria
Iridopsis humaria
Iridopsis larvaria
Iridopsis pergracilis
Iridopsis unidentified species
Iridopsis vellivolata
Lambdina canitiaria
Lambdina fervidaria
Lambdina fiscellaria
Lambdina pellucidaria
Lambdina unidentified species
Leptostales crossii
Leptostales ferruminaria
Leptostales laevitaria
Leptostales pannaria
Lobocleta ossularia
Lobocleta peralbata
Lobocleta plemyraria
Lobocleta unidentified species
Lobophora nivigerata
Lomographa glomeraria
Lomographa semiclarata
Lomographa vestaliata
Lophosis labeculata
Lycia ypsilon
Lytrosis heitzmanorum
Lytrosis permagnaria
Lytrosis sinuosa
Lytrosis unitaria
Macaria aemulataria
Macaria aemulataria-promiscuata
Macaria aequiferaria
Macaria bicolorata
Macaria bisignata
Macaria distribuaria
Macaria fissinotata
Macaria granitata
Macaria minorata
Macaria multilineata
Macaria pinistrobata
Macaria promiscuata
Macaria pustularia
Macaria signaria
Macaria subcessaria
Macaria transitaria
Macaria ulsterata
Macaria unidentified species
Macaria varadaria
Martania basaliata
Melanolophia canadaria
Melanolophia signataria
Melanolophia unidentified species
Mellilla xanthometata
Mesoleuca ruficillata
Metanema determinata
Metanema inatomaria
Metarranthis amyrisaria
Metarranthis angularia
Metarranthis duaria
Metarranthis homuraria
Metarranthis hypochraria
Metarranthis indeclinata
Metarranthis lateritiaria
Metarranthis mollicularia
Metarranthis obfirmaria
Metarranthis pilosaria
Metarranthis refractaria
Metarranthis unidentified species
Nematocampa baggettaria
Nematocampa resistaria
Nemoria bifilata
Nemoria bistriaria
Nemoria elfa
Nemoria lixaria
Nemoria mimosaria
Nemoria outina
Nemoria rubrifrontaria
Nemoria saturiba
Nemoria tuscarora
Nemoria unidentified species
Nepytia canosaria
Nepytia semiclusaria
Nepytia unidentified species
Operophtera bruceata
Orthofidonia exornata
Orthofidonia flavivenata
Orthofidonia tinctaria
Orthonama obstipata
Paleacrita merriccata
Paleacrita vernata
Pasiphila rectangulata
Patalene olyzonaria
Pero ancetaria
Pero antidiscaria
Pero honestaria
Pero morrisonaria
Pero unidentified species
Pero zalissaria
Petrophora divisata
Petrophora subaequaria
Phaeoura quernaria
Phigalia denticulata
Phigalia strigataria
Phigalia titea
Phigalia unidentified species
Pimaphera sparsaria
Plagodis alcoolaria
Plagodis fervidaria
Plagodis kuetzingi
Plagodis phlogosaria
Plagodis pulveraria
Plagodis serinaria
Pleuroprucha insulsaria
Probole amicaria
Probole nepiasaria
Prochoerodes lineola
Protitame unidentified species
Protitame virginalis
Protoboarmia porcelaria
Psamatodes abydata
Rheumaptera hastata
Rheumaptera meadii
Rheumaptera prunivorata
Rheumaptera undulata
Rheumaptera undulata-prunivorata
Scopula aemulata
Scopula cacuminaria
Scopula compensata
Scopula inductata
Scopula lautaria
Scopula limboundata
Scopula ordinata
Scopula purata
Selenia alciphearia
Selenia kentaria
Sicya macularia
Spargania magnoliata
Sphacelodes vulneraria
Stamnodes gibbicostata
Stenoporpia polygrammaria
Synchlora aerata
Synchlora frondaria
Synchlora unidentified species
Tacparia detersata
Tacparia zalissaria
Tetracis cachexiata
Tetracis crocallata
Thalera pistasciaria
Timandra amaturaria
Tornos abjectarius
Tornos cinctarius
Tornos scolopacinaria
Trichodezia albovittata
Trigrammia quadrinotaria
Venusia cambrica
Venusia comptaria
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Xanthorhoe iduata
Xanthorhoe labradorensis
Xanthorhoe labradorensis-packardata complex
Xanthorhoe lacustrata
Xanthorhoe packardata
Xanthorhoe unidentified species
Xanthotype attenuaria
Xanthotype rufaria
Xanthotype sospeta
Xanthotype unidentified species
Xanthotype urticaria
Macaria
Members:
Macaria aemulataria
Macaria aemulataria-promiscuata
Macaria aequiferaria
Macaria bicolorata
Macaria bisignata
Macaria distribuaria
Macaria fissinotata
Macaria granitata
Macaria minorata
Macaria multilineata
Macaria pinistrobata
Macaria promiscuata
Macaria pustularia
Macaria signaria
Macaria subcessaria
Macaria transitaria
Macaria ulsterata
Macaria unidentified species
Macaria varadaria
65 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
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 Photographs:
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:
Stenophagous, reported to feed on Birch, Alder, and Willow (Ferguson, 2008). Ferguson noted that subspecies
appalachiana
is almost always found where Yellow Birch occurs. -
View
Observation Methods:
Comes well to 15 watt blacklights but we do not have any records from either bait or flowers.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
G4G5 [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: 14
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11
Madison 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: