Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
« Home »
View PDFGeometridae Members: Gueneria Members: 121 NC Records

Gueneria similaria (Walker, 1860) - False Yellow-dusted Cream


Gueneria similariaGueneria similaria
view caption
Gueneria similaria
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea
Family:
Geometridae
Subfamily:
Ennominae
Tribe:
Lithinini
P3 Number:
91a1139
MONA Number:
6815.00
Other Common Name:
Ghostly Fern Moth
Comments: A monotypic genus restricted to eastern North America
Species Status: Numerous specimens from North Carolina have been barcoded and are similar to those from eastern Canada; there is no indication of multiple species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-small, pale yellowish-white Geometrid. The ground color of the forewings, as well as the head and body, is cream colored. The overall orange dusting in all but well-worn specimens is characteristic, usually forming three to four transverse bands. This species is apt to be confused with species of Cabera and maybe even Scopula. A black discal spot and brown postmedial spots on the undersides of the wings can be used to distinguish this species from Cabera (Forbes, 1948).
Wingspan: 25 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: Male antennae are simple rather than pectinate as they are in Cabera. Worn females may need to be determined by venation differences or by dissection. Both males and females have distinct genitalia, which should easily separate them from similar species.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Caterpillars are rather nondescript but with multiple longitudinal lines. Abdominal segments narrowed anteriorly (see Wagner et al., 2001 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: The species is found across the state but becomes less common with increasing altitude.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Gueneria similariaAlamance 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.
Flight Comments: There are probably at least two broods
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: All of our records come from wet to mesic hardwood forests where there is an abundance of ferns. It has a wide elevational range in the mountains, where it occurs in riparian forests, cove forests, and northern hardwoods. In the Piedmont, it has been found on several monadnocks but also in lower areas with fern-rich slopes. Our few records from the Coastal Plain come either from mesic slopes adjoining brownwater floodplains or a few other relatively isolated stands of mesic hardwoods growing on slopes above blackwater rivers.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on ferns, and do not seem to be particularly choosy, though host plant records are needed from North Carolina. Wagner et al. (2001) list New York Fern (Amauropelta noveboracensis), lady ferns (Athyrium), and wood-ferns (Dryopteris). - View
Observation Methods: Adults come to light but rarely in numbers. We have no records of adults at bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Fernlands
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: This species is widespread in the mountains, where it appears to be secure. In most of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, however, it has a more restricted distribution and is associated with cool mesic forests that are likely to be vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

 Photo Gallery for Gueneria similaria - False Yellow-dusted Cream

32 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-12
Graham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-04
Madison Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-24
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-24
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-24
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-06
Graham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Macon Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-08
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-27
Graham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21
Madison Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-07-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-04-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2019-06-09
Graham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2019-06-09
Graham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-27
Madison Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2018-08-11
Graham Co.
Comment:
Gueneria similariaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2018-08-10
Graham Co.
Comment: