Moths of North Carolina
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246 NC Records

Biston betularia (Linnaeus, 1758) - Peppered Moth

Biston betulariaBiston betulariaBiston betulariaBiston betularia
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: BistoniniP3 Number: 91a1060 MONA Number: 6640.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
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.
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: Habitats include barrens, woodlands, and forests (Wagner, 2005). Our records come from upland habitats, including hardwood forests and woodlands, Spruce-Fir forests, and heathlands.
Larval Host Plants: Polyphagaous, larvae feed on a wide range of families of hardwood trees and shrubs. Wagner et al. (2001) specifically list maple (Acer), alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), Pecan (Carya illinoinensis), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus), hackberry (Celtis), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), walnut (Juglans), larch (Larix), apple (Malus), oak (Quercus), poplar (Populus), cherry (Prunus), gooseberry (Ribes), Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), rose (Rosa), willow (Salix), mountain-ash (Sorbus), elm (Ulmus), and blueberry (Vaccinium). In North Carolina, larvae have been observed feeding on Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia and maple. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Biston betularia - Peppered Moth

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

Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-08-15
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-09
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-04
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-01
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-10
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-26
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25
McDowell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-25
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-25
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-25
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, Chuck Smith on 2024-06-20
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-05-27
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-04-18
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-04-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-04-09
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-19
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-14
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-02
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-25
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Tony McBride on 2023-07-24
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2023-07-21
Jackson Co.
Comment: