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
Cabera
Members:
Cabera erythemaria
Cabera quadrifasciaria
Cabera variolaria
21 NC Records
Cabera variolaria
Guenée, [1858] - Vestal Moth
view caption
Males, top, bottom (all left) August 2, 2013, Watauga Co., J. M. Lynch; August 29, 2017, Ashe Co., J. B. Sullivan. Females top, bottom (all right) September 6, 2001, Watauga Co., J. B. Sullivan; July 4, 2017, Ashe Co., J. B. Sullivan
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea
Family:
Geometridae
Subfamily:
Ennominae
Tribe:
Caberini
P3 Number:
91a1088
MONA Number:
6678.00
Comments:
The genus
Cabera
as currently conceived is found in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Some 30 species are known of which 5 occur in the United States and 3 are found in North Carolina.
Species Status:
Specimens from North Carolina are similar to those from elsewhere in its range and no significant heterogeneity has been observed. Both well marked and unmarked individuals have been barcoded.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes (1948); Rindge (1956); McGuffin (1981)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Forbes (1948); Wagner et al. (2001)
Adult Markings:
A medium-sized, white Geometrid usually marked with three grayish lines. Keys for specimens of
Cabera
from North America are given in Forbes (1948) and McGuffin (1981). For the most part, however, they do not work for our individuals of
C. erythemaria
and
C. variolaria
, both of which can be marked with well defined crosslines or be almost entirely white. For males the color of the pectens is the best external character: white in
C. erythemaria
and black in
C. variolaria
(with the occasional white scale). Easily confused with other small white geometrids such as
Lomographa vestialata
(smaller, pearly white, no pectinations),
Gueneria similaria
(orangish wash),
Scopula ordinata
(larger, pointed forewings), and perhaps worn specimens of
Speranza pustularia
(crosslines reddish and widening at costa).
Wingspan:
25 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Forewing Length:
12-16, males; 11-16 mm, females (Rindge, 1956)
Adult Structural Features:
Antennae are pectinate in the males, simple in the females. The pectinate antennae helps distinguish males of this species from those of
Lomograpa
,
Gueneria
, and
Scopula
, all of which have simple antennae. The absence of the basal valve projection distinguish males from other species in this genus. The basal valve projection in the male is diagnostic as is the flared ostial opening in the female.
Structural photos
Male reproductive structures. August 16-22, 2016, Ashe Co., J. B. Sullivan
Aedeagus. August 16-22, 2016, Ashe Co., J. B. Sullivan
Female reproductive structure. August 9-10, 2010, Watauga Co., J. B. Sullivan
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development:
Larvae are green and pink with squarish heads and a series of paired, mid-dorsal spots (see Wagner et al, for an illustration and more detailed description). Caterpillars of
C. erythemaria
and
C. variolaria
may be indistinguishable and should be reared to adulthood in order to determine their identity (Wagner et al., 2001).
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
May be restricted to
Salix sericea
in the mountains between 2,000' and 4200'. Piedmont records lacking to date but one record exists for the Fall-line Sandhills, which needs to be checked.
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:
The species is on the wing throughout most of the warm months (May-September) and probably has 2-3 broods each year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Associated with poplar (
Populus
) and (
Salix
) elsewhere but in North Carolina so far found only with
Salix
and the open, streamside habitats where willow is common. It has been recorded flying with
C. erythemaria
in Swain County.
Larval Host Plants:
Both
Populus
and
Salix
species are used further north (Wagner et al., 2001). We have no larval records but in North Carolina adults have been collected only in the vicinity of willows. -
View
Observation Methods:
Adults readily come to light and can be flushed near willows during the day. It is unlikely they respond to baits.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
Shoreline Shrublands
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:
We still have records from only scattered sites, mostly concentrated in the southern half of the mountains. However, its habitats and host plants are widespread in this region and it is observed regularly at some sites. It appears to be secure within the state.
Photo Gallery for
Cabera variolaria
- Vestal Moth
Photos: 2
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-03
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Doug Blatny / Jackie Nelson on 2013-08-18
Ashe Co.
Comment: