Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Geometridae Members:	Erannis Members:	47 NC Records

Erannis tiliaria (Harris, 1841) - Linden Looper Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Ennominae

Tribe:
Bistonini

P3 Number:
91a1070

MONA Number:
6665.00

Other Common Name:
Winter Moth

Comments: This genus, comprising some 9-12 species depending upon how various subspecies are treated, is limited to the northern parts of America, Europe, Turkey and Japan, with most species concentrated in Russia. One species occurs in North America, including North Carolina.

Species Status: A North Carolina specimen has been barcoded and matches those from Canada.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner et al. (2001); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: The male is a large brown, almost translucent species unlike anything else in our fauna. The female is virtually wingless, black and white.

Wingspan: 40 mm (Forbes, 1948)

Adult Structural Features: Only male specimens have been captured in North Carolina and their genitalia are distinct. It is unlikely that adults would be confused with any other in our fauna based on external features, and the same is true of the male genitalia.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Caterpillars are distinct, yellowish ventrally, blackish or brownish dorsally with narrow longitudinal stripes. Eggs are placed on trunks and hatch early in the following spring.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Most of our records are from the central and southern mountains at lower to mid-elevations. As of 2021, we have only two records from above 4000', along with one from the Coastal Plain.

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
Flight Comments: The moth is on the wing during warmer nights in November, long after most observers have stopped photographing and collecting, particularly in the Mountains.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The majority of our records come from the Mountains at relatively low elevations, with habitats consisting primarily of hardwood forests growing on slopes and ridges. One record also comes from around 6,000' at a site with stands of northern hardwoods. We also have one sight record from the Outer Coastal Plain from a low-lying site.

Larval Host Plants: Polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of woody shrubs and trees. Wagner (2005) specifically lists maple (Acer), serviceberry (Amelanchier), birch (Betula), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), hickory (Carya), hazel (Corylus), ash (Fraxinus), apple (Malus), poplar (Populus), cherry (Prunus), oak (Quercus), rose (Rosa), willow (Salix), American Basswood (Tilia americana), elm (Ulmus), and blueberry (Vaccinium). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded on Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) and Black Willow (Salix nigra). - View

Observation Methods: Males come to light readily but we have no records of them coming to bait. The wingless females should be looked for on the trunks of trees.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Montane Dry-Mesic Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]

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

Comments: We have relatively few records for this species, possibly due to its late flight period. It does not appear to be a strong habitat specialist, however, and apparently uses a wide range of host plants. While that would seem to make it fairly secure within the state, more needs to be learned about its distribution and use of particular host plants and habitats before its conservation status can be accurately assessed.

Photo Gallery for Erannis tiliaria - Linden Looper Moth

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

	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-12-03 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-11-08 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-25 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-11-27 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2022-11-25 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-10-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2021-12-22 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-12-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2021-12-08 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-12-02 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-11-10 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-11-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-12-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-11-22 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-11-21 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-17 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-17 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-12-16 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-12-15 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-12-09 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: on 2019-11-30 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2019-11-30 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2019-11-30 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2018-12-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Timothy Deering on 2018-12-02 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2018-12-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-12-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-11-30 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: T. Nergart on 2014-12-13 Transylvania Co. Comment: