Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members: Trigrammia Members: 136 NC Records

Trigrammia quadrinotaria Herrich-Schäffer, [1855] - Four-spotted Angle

Trigrammia quadrinotariaTrigrammia quadrinotariaTrigrammia quadrinotaria
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Ennominae		Tribe:
Macariini		P3 Number:
91a0693		 MONA Number:
6360.00		 MONA Synonym:
Semiothisa quadrinotaria
Comments: Only a single species is currently recognized for this genus in North America.
Species Status: Ferguson (2008) and others suspect that trigrammia is actually a complex comprising two or more species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Semiothisa quadrinotaria)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A pale, medium-sized Geometrid. As in the genus Macaria, with which it was formerly combined under the generic name Semiothisa, the outer margin of hindwing is somewhat angled and the apex of the forewing is slightly falcate, but usually less so than in Macaria species. Both pairs of wings are white to grayish white, variably dusted with brow and crossed by three brown lines: the antemedian, median, and postmedian (Ferguson, 2008). A terminal and weak subterminal line may also be present and the fringes may or may not be checkered. Black dots are distinctively located in the subterminal area (sometimes absent on the hindwings), usually without the connection to the subterminal line as is typical in Macaria; the black costal spots characteristic of Macaria are also missing in Trigrammia. The subterminal black dots also distinguish this species from Eumacaria madopata, which is otherwise similar in wing shape, color, and pattern.
Adult Structural Features: Antennae are simple in both sexes, similar to most species of Macaria and Digrammia but differing from Eumacaria madopata, where male antennae are bipectinate.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Trigrammia quadrinotariaAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding solely on species of buckeye (Aesculus spp.). Ferguson (2008) reared larvae on both Yellow Buckeye (A. flava) and Red Buckeye (A. pavia). Over most of the Piedmont in North Carolina, Painted Buckeye (A. sylvatica) is the only possible host. Ferguson noted that larvae refused to feed on European Horse Chestnuts, although other authors have had some success on exotic species. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Trigrammia quadrinotaria - Four-spotted Angle

 35 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-04-05
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-14
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-12
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-11
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-27
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-27
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-29
Chatham Co.
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Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Regina Patton on 2024-04-28
Jackson Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-04-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-04-06
Durham Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: David George on 2023-06-16
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-30
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-04-19
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-04-17
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-03-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Stephen Hall on 2019-07-01
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Trigrammia quadrinotariaRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-05-03
Yancey Co.
Comment: