Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Geometridae Members:	Digrammia Members:	243 NC Records

Digrammia ocellinata (Guenée, [1858]) - Faint-spotted Angle

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Ennominae

Tribe:
Macariini

P3 Number:
91a0802

MONA Number:
6386.00

MONA Synonym:
Semiothisa ocellinata

Other Common Name:
Locust Looper

Comments: One of 49 species in this genus recorded in North America (Ferguson, 2008), six of which occur in North Carolina. Digrammia ocellinata, ordinata, and eremiata were placed in the legume-feeding Eremiata Species Group by Ferguson.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Semiothisa ocellinata); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (2008)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001); Wagner (2005); Ferguson (2008)

Adult Markings: A medium-sized, grayish-brown Geometrid. Forewings are somewhat more falcate and the hindwings more angular than other members of this genus but less so than in Macaria species (Ferguson, 2008). The ground color of the wings is pale grayish-white. The transverse lines are often fairly diffuse, unlike the well-defined lines present in the other members of this species group, eremiata and ordinata. Like ordinata, however, the postmedian line consists of a series of dark dots located on the veins. Like D. gnophosaria, it has a hollow (ocellate) reniform located along the medial line, but is usually less conspicuous than in gnophosaria. Also differing from gnophosaria, the medial line usually does not converge with the antemedian at the inner margin. The most prominent marking is a fairly wide brown band located in the subterminal area but not extending to the outer margin. This band often contrasts strongly with the much paler basal, medial, and terminal areas.

Adult Structural Features: Genitalia are distinctive in both sexes (described and illustrated in Ferguson, 2008). Antennae are simple in both sexes. Males have swollen hind tibiae.

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

Immatures and Development: Larvae are yellow, gray, green, or reddish. Ringed with pale yellow-orange in the intersegmental areas (Wagner et al., 2001). Numerous pale, wavy longitudinal lines are also present, usually with a pale subdorsal stripe (Wagner et al., 2001).

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Common in the Mountains but uncommon to sparse in the Piedmont and especially the Coastal Plain.

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: Appears to be univoltine, with adults flying in the spring and summer

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Most of our records come from the Mountains, where Black Locust is considered to be native (Weakley, 2015). Habitats there range from fairly basic woodlands in the Amphibolite region, to fairly acidic in southern mountains. Most sites appear to be fairly dry but at least a few are from mesic areas, such as along the New River. Habitats in the Piedmont may all represent disturbed areas where Black Locust has been planted.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are monophagous or possibly stenophagous, feeding primarily on Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and possibly Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) (Wagner et al., 2001; Ferguson, 2008). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights but has not been recorded on bait.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Locust Groves and Thickets

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]

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

Comments: This species is common throughout the Mountains and its range appears to be expanding eastward due to the widespread planting of Black Locust.

Photo Gallery for Digrammia ocellinata - Faint-spotted Angle

61 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-25 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-24 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-08-14 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-22 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-14 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-10 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-07 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-06-17 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-13 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-06-11 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-22 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18 Caswell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31 Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30 Swain Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29 Swain Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Chuck Smith on 2023-06-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-16 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-08-07 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-27 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-14 Jackson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-27 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-09-14 Ashe Co. Comment: