Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Geometridae Members:
Acasis viridata
Aethalura intertexta
Alsophila pometaria
Anavitrinella pampinaria
Antepione thisoaria
Anticlea multiferata
Anticlea vasiliata
Apodrepanulatrix liberaria
Besma endropiaria
Besma quercivoraria
Biston betularia
Cabera erythemaria
Cabera quadrifasciaria
Cabera variolaria
Campaea perlata
Caripeta angustiorata
Caripeta aretaria
Caripeta divisata
Caripeta piniata
Cepphis armataria
Cepphis decoloraria
Ceratonyx satanaria
Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria
Chloropteryx tepperaria
Cladara atroliturata
Cladara limitaria
Cladara unidentified species
Cleora projecta
Cleora sublunaria
Cleora unidentified species
Costaconvexa centrostrigaria
Cyclophora myrtaria
Cyclophora nanaria
Cyclophora new species 1 nr. culicaria
Cyclophora packardi
Cyclophora pendulinaria
Cyclophora unidentified species
Cymatophora approximaria
Dichorda iridaria
Digrammia continuata
Digrammia eremiata
Digrammia gnophosaria
Digrammia ocellinata
Digrammia ordinata
Disclisioprocta stellata
Dyspteris abortivaria
Dysstroma citrata
Dysstroma hersiliata
Dysstroma truncata
Ectropis crepuscularia
Ennomos magnaria
Ennomos subsignaria
Entephria lagganata
Entephria separata
Epimecis hortaria
Epirrhoe alternata
Epirrita autumnata
Episemasia solitaria
Erannis tiliaria
Erastria coloraria
Erastria cruentaria
Eubaphe mendica
Eubaphe meridiana
Euchlaena amoenaria
Euchlaena deductaria
Euchlaena effecta
Euchlaena irraria
Euchlaena johnsonaria
Euchlaena madusaria
Euchlaena marginaria
Euchlaena milnei
Euchlaena muzaria
Euchlaena obtusaria
Euchlaena serrata
Euchlaena tigrinaria
Euchlaena unidentified species
Eufidonia convergaria
Eufidonia notataria
Eufidonia unidentified species
Eugonobapta nivosaria
Eulithis diversilineata
Eulithis explanata
Eulithis gracilineata
Eulithis molliculata
Eulithis propulsata
Eulithis unidentified species
Eumacaria madopata
Euphyia intermediata
Eupithecia absinthiata
Eupithecia affinata
Eupithecia broui
Eupithecia cimicifugata
Eupithecia cocoata
Eupithecia coloradensis
Eupithecia columbiata
Eupithecia exudata
Eupithecia fletcherata
Eupithecia herefordaria
Eupithecia indistincta
Eupithecia jejunata
Eupithecia lariciata
Eupithecia matheri
Eupithecia miserulata
Eupithecia mutata
Eupithecia palpata
Eupithecia peckorum
Eupithecia perfusca
Eupithecia regina
Eupithecia russeliata
Eupithecia satyrata
Eupithecia subfuscata
Eupithecia swettii
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Eupithecia unidentified species
Eusarca confusaria
Eusarca fundaria
Eusarca packardaria
Eutrapela clemataria
Exelis pyrolaria
Gandaritis atricolorata
Geometrinae unidentified species
Glena cognataria
Glena cribrataria
Glena plumosaria
Glenoides texanaria
Gueneria similaria
Haematopis grataria
Heliomata cycladata
Heliomata infulata
Hesperumia sulphuraria
Heterophleps refusaria
Heterophleps triguttaria
Homochlodes fritillaria
Horisme intestinata
Hydrelia albifera
Hydrelia condensata
Hydrelia inornata
Hydrelia lucata
Hydrelia unidentified species
Hydria unidentified species
Hydriomena divisaria
Hydriomena exculpata
Hydriomena pluviata
Hydriomena renunciata
Hydriomena transfigurata
Hydriomena unidentified species
Hypagyrtis brendae
Hypagyrtis esther
Hypagyrtis unidentified species
Hypagyrtis unipunctata
Hypomecis buchholzaria
Hypomecis gnopharia_umbrosaria complex
Hypomecis longipectinaria
Hypomecis umbrosaria
Hypomecis unidentified species
Idaea bonifata
Idaea celtima
Idaea demissaria
Idaea eremiata
Idaea furciferata
Idaea hilliata
Idaea micropterata
Idaea obfusaria
Idaea ostentaria
Idaea productata
Idaea scintillularia
Idaea tacturata
Idaea violacearia
Ilexia intractata
Iridopsis cypressaria
Iridopsis defectaria
Iridopsis ephyraria
Iridopsis humaria
Iridopsis larvaria
Iridopsis pergracilis
Iridopsis unidentified species
Iridopsis vellivolata
Lambdina canitiaria
Lambdina fervidaria
Lambdina fiscellaria
Lambdina pellucidaria
Lambdina unidentified species
Leptostales crossii
Leptostales ferruminaria
Leptostales laevitaria
Leptostales pannaria
Lobocleta ossularia
Lobocleta peralbata
Lobocleta plemyraria
Lobocleta unidentified species
Lobophora nivigerata
Lomographa glomeraria
Lomographa semiclarata
Lomographa vestaliata
Lophosis labeculata
Lycia ypsilon
Lytrosis heitzmanorum
Lytrosis permagnaria
Lytrosis sinuosa
Lytrosis unitaria
Macaria aemulataria
Macaria aemulataria-promiscuata
Macaria aequiferaria
Macaria bicolorata
Macaria bisignata
Macaria distribuaria
Macaria fissinotata
Macaria granitata
Macaria minorata
Macaria multilineata
Macaria pinistrobata
Macaria promiscuata
Macaria pustularia
Macaria signaria
Macaria subcessaria
Macaria transitaria
Macaria ulsterata
Macaria unidentified species
Macaria varadaria
Martania basaliata
Melanolophia canadaria
Melanolophia signataria
Melanolophia unidentified species
Mellilla xanthometata
Mesoleuca ruficillata
Metanema determinata
Metanema inatomaria
Metarranthis amyrisaria
Metarranthis angularia
Metarranthis duaria
Metarranthis homuraria
Metarranthis hypochraria
Metarranthis indeclinata
Metarranthis lateritiaria
Metarranthis mollicularia
Metarranthis obfirmaria
Metarranthis pilosaria
Metarranthis refractaria
Metarranthis unidentified species
Nematocampa baggettaria
Nematocampa resistaria
Nemoria bifilata
Nemoria bistriaria
Nemoria elfa
Nemoria lixaria
Nemoria mimosaria
Nemoria outina
Nemoria rubrifrontaria
Nemoria saturiba
Nemoria tuscarora
Nemoria unidentified species
Nepytia canosaria
Nepytia semiclusaria
Nepytia unidentified species
Operophtera bruceata
Orthofidonia exornata
Orthofidonia flavivenata
Orthofidonia tinctaria
Orthonama obstipata
Paleacrita merriccata
Paleacrita vernata
Pasiphila rectangulata
Patalene olyzonaria
Pero ancetaria
Pero antidiscaria
Pero honestaria
Pero morrisonaria
Pero unidentified species
Pero zalissaria
Petrophora divisata
Petrophora subaequaria
Phaeoura quernaria
Phigalia denticulata
Phigalia strigataria
Phigalia titea
Phigalia unidentified species
Pimaphera sparsaria
Plagodis alcoolaria
Plagodis fervidaria
Plagodis kuetzingi
Plagodis phlogosaria
Plagodis pulveraria
Plagodis serinaria
Pleuroprucha insulsaria
Probole amicaria
Probole nepiasaria
Prochoerodes lineola
Protitame unidentified species
Protitame virginalis
Protoboarmia porcelaria
Psamatodes abydata
Rheumaptera hastata
Rheumaptera meadii
Rheumaptera prunivorata
Rheumaptera undulata
Rheumaptera undulata-prunivorata
Scopula aemulata
Scopula cacuminaria
Scopula compensata
Scopula inductata
Scopula lautaria
Scopula limboundata
Scopula ordinata
Scopula purata
Selenia alciphearia
Selenia kentaria
Sicya macularia
Spargania magnoliata
Sphacelodes vulneraria
Stamnodes gibbicostata
Stenoporpia polygrammaria
Synchlora aerata
Synchlora frondaria
Synchlora unidentified species
Tacparia detersata
Tacparia zalissaria
Tetracis cachexiata
Tetracis crocallata
Thalera pistasciaria
Timandra amaturaria
Tornos abjectarius
Tornos cinctarius
Tornos scolopacinaria
Trichodezia albovittata
Trigrammia quadrinotaria
Venusia cambrica
Venusia comptaria
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Xanthorhoe iduata
Xanthorhoe labradorensis
Xanthorhoe labradorensis-packardata complex
Xanthorhoe lacustrata
Xanthorhoe packardata
Xanthorhoe unidentified species
Xanthotype attenuaria
Xanthotype rufaria
Xanthotype sospeta
Xanthotype unidentified species
Xanthotype urticaria
Lomographa
Members:
Lomographa glomeraria
Lomographa semiclarata
Lomographa vestaliata
16 NC Records
Lomographa semiclarata
(Walker, 1866) - Bluish Spring Moth
view caption
This early spring, day-flying Geometrid is most common in the Mountains but occurs to an unknown degree in the Piedmont. Its resemblance to a Spring Azure (but smaller and whiter) may be the reason it has been overlooked.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea
Family:
Geometridae
Subfamily:
Ennominae
Tribe:
Baptini
P3 Number:
911088.00
MONA Number:
6666.00
Comments:
One of four species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl et al., 2016). Three have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes (1948)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Wagner et al. (2001)
Adult Markings:
A moderately small Geometrid with glistening white on its hindwings and portions of its forewings. Although it lacks any actual blue coloration, the sooty brown shading on the upperside of the forewings apparently gives this species a bluish appearance when flying. When active, the wings are held upright in a closed, butterfly-like fashion. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan:
22 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
Wagner et al. (2001) describe the larvae as sea-green to emerald green, with a distinctive mid-dorsal row of yellow spots that are sometimes edged with red (see that reference for an illustration and more detailed description).
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Most of our records come from the Mountains, but there are -- surprisingly -- several from the eastern Piedmont
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:
Univoltine. This is a spring flying species, but flying at successively later months from the Piedmont to the Low Mountains, to the High Mountains.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Occurs at both low and high elevations in the Mountains, including above 6,000 feet in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park (Clingman's Dome, Forney's Ridge) and at Grandfather Mountain. At least some of these records appear to come from disturbed, open areas, e.g., parking lots, and the same is also true for the few records we have from the Piedmont.
Larval Host Plants:
Oligophagous, feeding on shrubby members of the Rose family (Rosaceae). Wagner et al. (2002) specifically mention the following species as host plants: Cherry, Chokeberry, Hawthorn, Mountain Ash, and Ninebark. -
View
Observation Methods:
This species appears to be primarily diurnal but comes to lights -- including both blacklights and incandescent lights -- at least to some extent. Its resemblance to butterflies, particularly Spring Azures and other blues, has been noted by several authors (Covell, 1984; Wagner et al., 2002). Like butterflies, it also visits flowers and engages in mudpuddling, i.e., extracting nutrients from wet soil.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
General Rosaceous Thickets
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
G5 S3S4
State Protection:
Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:
This species was probably originally associated with native Cherries and other members of the Rosaceae occurring in the Mountains. It may now be expanding its range to the east, where it may be feeding on ornamental species of Cherry. We have relatively few records for this species, possibly because it flies mainly during the day and may only come to light traps more rarely. Diurnal observations may also be fairly scarce due to its resemblance to Spring Azures and other small Blues that fly at the same times and places. The surprising discovery of this species in the eastern Piedmont indicates that there is still a lot to be learned about this species and its status in North Carolina.
Photo Gallery for
Lomographa semiclarata
- Bluish Spring Moth
Photos: 10
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-03-28
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2016-04-01
Orange Co.
Comment: Attracted to a window light at night. Black Cherry is probably the only native member of the Rosaceae that grows in the vicinity (located within 20 feet of where the sighting was made), but both ornamental Cherries, Bradford Pears, and Crab Apples occur within 50 yards of the site. Apart from cultivated Roses, no other members of the Rosaceae appear to be likely host plants within the area.
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2014-05-26
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2014-05-26
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2014-04-03
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2011-04-03
Orange Co.
Comment: Observed mudpuddling in a parking lot of a small nature preserve. Black Cherry is present within the preserve but there is also a residential area located nearby where there may be cultivated Cherries, Pears, or other members of the Rosaceae growing in yards.