Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Geometridae Members:	Glenoides Members:	377 NC Records

Glenoides texanaria (Hulst, 1888) - Texas Gray

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Ennominae

Tribe:
Boarmiini

P3 Number:
91a0839

MONA Number:
6443.00

Comments: The genus is limited to North America with two species, one of which occurs in North Carolina.

Species Status: The barcoding results are not entirely clear at the moment. The second species, G. lenticuligera, named from Hildago Co., Texas has been submitted for barcoding but none of the samples produced usable information. There are ample samples for G. texanaria but they fall into two very distinct haplotype groups which vary between less than 1% to over 2% depending upon which two individuals are compared. One group contains most of the eastern speciemens and the second group is mostly from Okahoma and Texas. Two samples sent in from Craven Co., N. C. and collected in the same trap in a June sample split between the two groups, indicating that there is probably just a single species and that the Texas-Oklahoma branch is most likely G. texanaria and not G. lenticuligera. Clearly additional samples are needed.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948)

Adult Markings: This species is small, but patterned like several other species loosely termed the Grays. In fresh specimens look for the reddish-orange band between the medial and postmedial lines. Glenoides is most frequently mistaken for a species of Eupithecia. In the males, the bipectinate antennae of Glenoides are diagnostic. Rubbed females are very similar to rubbed specimens of the larger Eupithecia, particularly where they co-occur in the mountains of North Carolina.

Adult Structural Features: Both sexes of Glenoides possess foveae near the base of their forewings -- much larger in the males and weak in the females -- which are lacking in Eupithecia. As in other members of the Ennominae, Glenoides lacks the M2 vein, whereas it is present in the Eupithecia, which belong to the Larentiinae.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The caterpillar has yet to be described.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found statewide, from the Barrier Islands to High 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: There appear to be two broods in the mountains and probably three in the coastal plain. It is fairly common in June and then again late in the season (September).

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Found in nearly all natural habitats in the state, ranging from maritime scrub and forests on the Barrier Islands, deep swamps, peatlands and Longleaf Pine habitats in the Coastal Plain, to bottomlands, mesic slopes, and dry ridges in the Piedmont and Mountains.

Larval Host Plants: For many years the life history was a mystery. However, Dale Habeck reared G. texanaria from lichens associated with Crataegus, Quercus, and Ceratiola in Florida (Matthews, et al. 2014). Wagner et al. (2008) also reared G. lenticuligera on lichens. - View

Observation Methods: Adults are attracted to lights. Caterpillars should be sought by brushing the lichens on the host trees. Like some of the other lichen feeders, they may also be collected by beating the lichen encrusted branches.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

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

Comments: Broadly distributed across the state and found in a very wide range of habitats, this species appears to be quite secure in the state.

Photo Gallery for Glenoides texanaria - Texas Gray

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-23 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-21 Wayne Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-10-13 Davidson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-10-13 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-10-08 Davidson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-07 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-10-03 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-28 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-09-24 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen on 2024-09-23 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-19 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-12 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-07 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2024-08-29 Union Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-08-14 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-11 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-26 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-07-25 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-04 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-01 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-26 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-24 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-24 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-11-09 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen on 2023-10-28 Orange Co. Comment: