Moths of North Carolina
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Nematocampa Members:
202 NC Records

Nematocampa resistaria (Herrich-Schäffer, [1856]) - Horned Spanworm Moth

Nematocampa resistariaNematocampa resistariaNematocampa resistaria
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Ennominae		Tribe:
Cassymini		P3 Number:
91a1461		 MONA Number:
7010.00		 Other Common Name:
Filament Bearer
Comments: One of three species in this genus that occur north of Mexico (Ferguson, 2008), two of which are found in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Nematocampa limbata); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (2008)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001); Wagner (2005); Ferguson (2008)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A moderately small Geometrid with a pale yellowish (males) or cream (females) ground color, overlain with a reticulated pattern of fine brown lines. The subterminal and terminal areas are typically dark brown but with the apical area similar in color and pattern to the medial and basal areas. Transverse lines are dark brown and conspicuous.
Forewing Length: Wing length is generally more than 10 mm (Ferguson, 2008)
Adult Structural Features: Males with enlarged hind tibiae, whose inner spurs are elongated, flattened, and clubbed (Forbes, 1954; Ferguson, 2008). Genitalia are distinctive (see illustrations and discussion in Ferguson, 2008).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae (Filament Bearers) possess distinctive pairs of white-tipped, extensible filaments that project from the dorsal surface of segments A2 and A3 (Wagner et al., 2001; Wagner, 2005; Ferguson, 2008), The body is mottled with patches of white, pale gray, brown, and black.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Appears to occur statewide, from the Barrier Islands to the High Mountains
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Nematocampa resistaria
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Univoltine, with adults flying in the spring and summer
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records come from wet areas dominated by hardwoods, including swamps and riparian habitats but not peatlands. A few records come from drier or more open habitats, such as maritime dunes, sandhills, and ridges.
Larval Host Plants: Polyphagous, feeding on more than 60 species of both hardwood trees and shrubs, conifers, and forbs (Ferguson, 2008). Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list fir (Abies), maple (Acer), buckeye (Aesculus), alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), hornbeam (Carpinus), chestnut (Castanea), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus), hazel (Corylus), hawthorn (Crataegus), dogwood (Cornus), strawberry (Fragaria), ash (Fraxinus), larch (Larix), spruce (Picea), cherry (Prunus), oak (Quercus), willow (Salix), mountain-ash (Sorbus), basswood (Tilia), hemlock (Tsuga), elm (Ulmus), and blueberry (Vaccinium). In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan reared a larva from Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum). - View
Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights but we have no records from bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Occupies a wide range of forested habitats across the state and is broadly polyphagous; appears to be quite secure in North Carolina

 Photo Gallery for Nematocampa resistaria - Horned Spanworm Moth

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

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-16
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-16
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-15
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-12
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-01
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-14
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-06-08
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-01
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-09
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall, David George, and David Bradley on 2024-05-07
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall, David George, and David Bradley on 2024-05-07
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-30
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp on 2024-04-18
Greene Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp on 2024-04-18
Greene Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-12
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-07
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2023-07-02
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-06-10
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-09
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: