Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members: 8 NC Records

Orthofidonia flavivenata (Hulst, 1898) - Yellow-veined Geometer Moth


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: BoarmiiniP3 Number: 910844.00 MONA Number: 6430.00
Comments: A North American genus of three species found mostly in Eastern Canada and down through the mountains to North Carolina and Georgia. All three species have similar ranges and life histories. They do not appear to be closely related to any other Geometrid genera.
Species Status: While North Carolina specimens have not been barcoded, others from more Northern states have and are identical to the haplotypes for O. tinctaria.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIFTechnical Description, Adults: (Treated as a variety of tinctaria by Forbes, 1948)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species is readily differentiated from the other two species of Orthofidonia because the forewing is a rich green color bisected by a median yellow streak from the base of the forewing to the margin. Sexes are similar.
Adult Structural Features: The number of cornuti is usually 4-6, otherwise the genitalia are much like those of the other two species in the genus.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are translucent yellowish-green (see Wagner et al., 2001, for illustrations and detailed description)
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably restricted to the Mountains
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: Single brooded in the spring but there are not a lot of records because few observers are active at higher altitudes in May and early June. Wagner et al (2001) report that the order of species’ appearance is O. flaviventata, then O. tinctaria and finally O. exornata with a week or so separating emergences.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from mesic stands of montane hardwoods, including Northern Hardwoods at high elevations and Cove Forests at lower elevations.
Larval Host Plants: Reported to be Viburnum for all three species but given that the three species seem to occur together over most of their range, fly at approximately the same time of the year and utilize similar habitats, one would expect specialization perhaps of each species to a different species of Viburnum. Ferguson (1975) reported a larva on V. cassinoides.
Observation Methods: Adults come to light but doubtfully to bait and have not been reported to be day flyers.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [SU]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: We have very few records for this species, but its host plants suggest that it should be fairly widespread in the Mountains. More data are needed on the host plants used in North Carolina, as well as its specific habitat associations, before its conservation status can be assessed.

 Photo Gallery for Orthofidonia flavivenata - Yellow-veined Geometer Moth

Photos: 3

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2014-04-24
Madison Co.
Comment: