Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members:
Petrophora Members:
43 NC Records

Petrophora divisata Hübner, [1811] - Common Petrophora Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: LithininiP3 Number: 911235.00 MONA Number: 6803.00
Comments: A smallish genus of some 7 species distributed from Africa through Europe and into North America. Two species occur in the eastern United States but we have confirmed records of a single species in North Carolina.
Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been examined and are similar to those from elsewhere; there is no evidence for multiple complexes within this species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948; as Lithina extremaria)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The delicate pinkish color of this moderately sized geometrid together with its flight period, early spring should served to differentiate it from most other species. It might be confused with reddish individuals of Erastria cruentaria but in that species the forewing crosslines are not parallel. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 25-30 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: Both the male and female genitalia are quite distinct. Note the setose condition of the valvae and the dual projections from the furca. These are characteristic of most members of this tribe, Lithinini.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae do not appear to have been described.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: All of our records come from the Coastal Plain, including the Fall-line Sandhills.
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)

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