Moths of North Carolina
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Probole Members:
423 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, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Wingspan: 25-30 mm (Forbes, 1948)
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) - View
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

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-04-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-03-31
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-08
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-08
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-31
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-06-16
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, Chuck Smith on 2023-06-08
Alleghany Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-05-25
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-04-29
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-29
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-24
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-16
Jackson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lior Carlson, John Jarvis on 2021-08-19
Rockingham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-21
Graham Co.
Comment: 		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.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-20
Madison Co.
Comment: