Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):

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View PDFGeometridae Members: 382 NC Records

Probole amicaria (Herrich-Schäffer, [1855]) - Friendly Probole Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: AnagoginiP3 Number: 911270.00 MONA Number: 6838.00
Species Status: This is a highly variable species, with differences in color and pattern existing between populations and between broods of the same population. Consequently, there has been a long history of disagreement among taxonomists as to how many species are actually represented (see Tomon, 2008, for a review). Based on a comparison of specimens across the range of this complex, Tomon found no differences in genitalia or other structural characters and found no separation into distinct lineages based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA. Furthermore, he found that offspring of females of one morphological type could produce offspring belonging to other forms. Apart from populations of "nepiasaria", no geographic or phenological correlations could be found to justify the treatment of the different forms as distinct species. We mainly concur with Tomon's results and treat the forms previously described as "alienaria", "nyssaria", and "amicaria" as belonging to a single species, with the name Probole amicaria having apparent taxonomic priority (see Tomon, 2008). However, there are still sufficient ecological and biogeographic data to indicate that Probole nepisiaria may be distinct, despite its apparent lack of genitalic or mDNA differences from P. amicaria. Consequently, we continue to treat nepiasaria separately, particularly since some disjunct populations are of possible conservation concern.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA                                                                                 
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Forests, woodlands, shrubby fields, and wetlands (Wagner et al., 2001). Our records come from a wide range of hardwood-dominated habitats, with few coming from Longleaf Pine habitats or peatlands.
Larval Host Plants: Polyphagous, with larvae feeding on a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs; also reported on Spruce (Wagner et al., 2001)
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Probole amicaria - Friendly Probole Moth

59 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: Lior Carlson, John Jarvis on 2021-08-19
Rockingham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-21
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-15
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-13
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-03
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-04-29
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-28
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-11
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-04-07
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-07-15
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-26
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-06-10
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-05-15
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-05-03
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen and Pat McConnell on 2019-07-20
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2019-06-30
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-07
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-27
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-04-23
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2018-08-07
Yancey Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2018-07-04
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-04
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2016-08-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2016-08-03
Ashe Co.
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