Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members: 285 NC Records

Glenoides texanaria (Hulst, 1888) - Texas Gray Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: BoarmiiniP3 Number: 910858.00 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 Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONATechnical 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 has been a mystery. However, Dale Habeck reared G. texanaria from lichens associated with Crateagus, Quercus, and Ceratiola in Florida (Matthews, et al. 2014). Wagner et al. (2008) also reared G. lenticuligera on lichens.
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
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 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 Moth

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

Recorded by: David George on 2021-10-25
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-10-22
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2021-10-13
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-10-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-05
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-10-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-10-02
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall, Ed Corey, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Tom Howard, Carol Tingley, Brian Bockhahn, and Van Cotter on 2021-09-30
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-26
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-09-18
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-09-14
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-13
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-07-23
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2021-07-22
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-07-07
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2020-10-13
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-10-07
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-10-07
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-10-04
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-10-04
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-25
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2020-09-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-09-22
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-09-18
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-09-15
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-13
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-04
Guilford Co.
Comment: