Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFGeometridae Members:
Tetracis Members:
133 NC Records

Tetracis cachexiata Guenée, [1858] - White Slant-Line Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: OurapteryginiP3 Number: 911401.00 MONA Number: 6964.00
Comments: One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America (Ferris and Schmidt, 2010), two of which are found in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIFTechnical Description, Adults: Ferris and Schmidt (2010)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Both species of Tetracis that occur in North Carolina are moderately large, pale species, angular-winged Geometrids with a single straight line (postmedian) crossing their forewings from inner margin all the way to the apex or to the costa just in front of the apex. Other similarly sized, pale Geometrids with a strong transverse line either have more than one line or the line terminates or makes a sharp bend before it reaches the apex. Tetracis cahexiata is a glossier, purer white or ivory than crocallata, which has a stronger yellowish or cream shading. It also lacks the brown dusting and discal spots found in crocallata and the tranverse line is usually narrower and a lighter, more yellowish brown.
Adult Structural Features: Antennae are filiform in both sexes, although the males' are somewhat fasciculate.
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 and woodlands (Wagner et al., 2001). We have records from mesic, dry, and shoreline forests in the Piedmont and riparian, cove, and northern hardwood forests in the Mountains.
Larval Host Plants: Widely polyphagous, feeding on a large number of hardwood trees and shrubs as well as conifers, including pine, fir, hemlock, spruce, and larch (Wagner et al., 2001)
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Tetracis cachexiata - White Slant-Line Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-27
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-05-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-17
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Katie Ann Brown on 2021-04-23
Gaston Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Katie Ann Brown on 2021-04-23
Gaston Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Katie Ann Brown on 2021-04-23
Gaston Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Heather Burditt on 2020-05-30
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-05-13
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-05-10
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-05-06
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-05-04
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2018-05-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall and Ed Corey on 2017-05-17
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2017-05-10
McDowell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2016-06-15
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2016-06-14
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2016-05-07
McDowell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Robert Gilson on 2016-04-27
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2016-04-17
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2015-06-18
Avery Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Ed Corey on 2015-05-17
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2015-05-17
McDowell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Ed Corey on 2015-05-16
Alleghany Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2015-05-13
McDowell Co.
Comment: