Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members: Erastria Members: 18 NC Records

Erastria coloraria (Fabricius, 1798) - Broad-lined Erastria

Erastria coloraria
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Ennominae		Tribe:
Caberini		P3 Number:
91a1154		 MONA Number:
6704.00
Comments: One of four species in this genus that occur in North America, of which two are found in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948, as Catopyrrha coloraria); Schweitzer et al. (2011)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner et al. (2001); Schewitzer et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized, broad-winged Geometrid, with two seasonal forms: a grayish brown spring form and a yellowish to olivaceous summer form (dissimilaria). The diffuse, reddish-brown postmedian line is the most conspicuous marking, but an excurved antemedian and a fairly straight median line may be evident, although often obscure (Forbes, 1948). The undersides of the wings -- which are often displayed when the wings are held upright -- are a much brighter yellow and pink. Erastria cruentaria is similar but has a more sharply defined postmedian line that is located further out towards the outer margin; contrasting dark spots may also be present just beyond the postmedian in cruentaria but are not present in coloraria, or representing just a widening of the postmedian (Forbes, 1948).
Adult Structural Features: Antennae of the male are strongly pectinate.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae illustrated by Wagner et al. (2001) and Schweitzer et al. (201) are gray with bands of lighter and darker gray and narrow whitish lines running the length of the body. Schweitzer et al. state that larvae are recognizable particularly in association with their host plants.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Despite the statewide distribution of its host plant, our records for coloraria come from just the eastern Piedmont and Fall-line Sandhills.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Erastria colorariaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.