Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members:
Ectropis Members:
556 NC Records

Ectropis crepuscularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - Small Engrailed Moth

Ectropis crepusculariaEctropis crepuscularia
view caption 		Ectropis crepusculariaEctropis crepuscularia
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Ennominae		Tribe:
Boarmiini		P3 Number:
91a0997		 MONA Number:
6597.00		 Other Common Names:
Saddleback Looper, The Engrailed
Comments: Ectropis is a large, mainly paleotropical genus. Only one species occurs in our area.
Species Status: Ectropis crepuscularia occurs in both North America and in Europe, but may represent a separate species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color is pale gray. The lines are black, with both the antemedian and postmedian dentate. A strong double-tooth mark, including two points on the postmedian and two just following are usually diagnostic of this species (Forbes, 1948).
Wingspan: 30-35 mm. Females are larger as are southern specimens in general (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: Male antennae are fasciculate rather than pectinate, which separates them from most other similar species of the "Grays".
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Ectropis crepuscularia
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The vast majority of our records come from forests, almost all hardwoods bur with a few records from the summit of Mt. Mitchell, where spruce-fir forests dominate
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on a wide variety of woody plants, including some conifers in addition to hardwoods. Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list firs (Abies spp.), maples (Acer spp.), birches (Betula spp.), Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina), ashes (Fraxinus spp.), Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), walnuts (Juglans spp.), larches (Larix spp.), apples (Malus spp.), spruces (Picea spp.), poplars (Populus spp.), cherries (Prunus spp.), Common Pear (Pyrus communis), oaks (Quercus spp.), currants (Ribes spp.), blackberries (Rubus spp.), willows (Salix spp.), hemlocks (Tsuga spp.), and Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded on Box-elder (Acer negundo) and White Ash (Fraxinus americana). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood 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:

 Photo Gallery for Ectropis crepuscularia - Small Engrailed Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-29
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-16
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-31
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-27
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-11-01
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-07
Alamance Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2024-08-29
Union Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-04
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: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-14
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-12
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-17
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-09
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-29
Chatham Co.
Comment: