Moths of North Carolina
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Macaria Members:
224 NC Records

Macaria distribuaria (Hübner, 1825) - Southern Chocolate Angle

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: MacariiniP3 Number: 910762.00 MONA Number: 6336.00 MONA Synonym: Semiothisa distribuaria
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.
Species Status: Distribuaria is included in the conifer-feeding bicolorata species group by Ferguson (2008), of which bisignata, bicolorata, transitaria, minorata, and aeqiferaria are the other members that occur in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Semiothisa distribuaria)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Ferguson (2008)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Macaria distribuaria is a medium-sized Geometrid but the largest of our species of Macaria. The pattern lacks the large spot blotch and darkened notch in the subapical area typical of other species of Macaria, but the lines and shadings are otherwise more pronounced. The antemedian and postmedian are both fine, black, and waved -- bends in these lines approach one another at the postcubital fold, creating a constriction in the medial space (Ferguson, 2008). A more diffuse median line may also be present. The basal and medial areas are usually shaded with pale gray; both areas may be striated or flecked with gray-brown. Beyond the postmedian, a reddish brown to chocolate shading fills the subterminal area, followed by another pale gray shade in the terminal area. Apex is usually paler than the rest of the terminal area, which is often shaded with darker brown. As in other members of this species group, the head is red or ocher, contrasting with the paler gray thorax and abdomen.
Adult Structural Features: Unlike aequiferaria but similar to all other members of the bicolorata group, males lack a fovea but possess swollen hind tibiae and a pecten on the third abdominal sternite. The antennae of the males are intermediate between bipectinate and laminate (Ferguson, 2008).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: With the exception of aequiferaria, larvae of the bicolorata species group are all similar to one another: glossy green or reddish with cream-colored subdorsal and subspiracular stripes that run the length of the body (see Wagner et al., 2001). Since distribuaria, transitaria, and bicolorata all probably feed on Longleaf Pine, larvae need to be reared to adulthood to determine their species.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Nearly all of our records come from the Sandhills and the southern part of the Outer Coastal Plain. One record also exists from a site in the eastern Piedmont where a disjunct stand of Longleaf Pine occurs.
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)

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