Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members: Iridopsis Members: 296 NC Records

Iridopsis vellivolata (Hulst, 1881) - Large Purplish Gray

Iridopsis vellivolataIridopsis vellivolataIridopsis vellivolata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Ennominae		Tribe:
Boarmiini		P3 Number:
91a0982		 MONA Number:
6582.00
Comments: One of 20 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico, seven of which have been recorded in North Carolina. In Rindge's 1966 revision of this group, 18 were placed in Anacamptodes, which he recognized as possibly representing the same genus as Iridopsis, and two in Iridopsis itself.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Anacamptodes vellivolata); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: One of the largest members of this genus in North Carolina, similar in size and markings to I. defectaria but with a solidly purplish rather than white ground color. This coloration is similar to that of the smaller I. humaria but it lacks the black ring and white band found in that species on the first abdominal segment.
Wingspan: 30-35 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: As in other members of this genus, vellivolata lacks a fovea at the base of the forewing that is found in other genera of the Grays.
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.
Iridopsis vellivolataAlamance 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 feed mainly on pines but also on other species of conifers. Wagner et al. (2001) specifically list fir (Abies), larch (Larix), spruce (Picea), and pine (Pinus). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Pine Forests and Woodlands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Iridopsis vellivolata - Large Purplish Gray

 94 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-08-29
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-28
Moore Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-17
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-26
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-14
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-02
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-24
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-05
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-29
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-24
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-15
Bladen Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-02
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-26
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-03-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-29
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Iridopsis vellivolata
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment: