Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Geometridae Members:
Acasis viridata
Aethalura intertexta
Alsophila pometaria
Anavitrinella pampinaria
Antepione thisoaria
Anticlea multiferata
Anticlea vasiliata
Apodrepanulatrix liberaria
Besma endropiaria
Besma quercivoraria
Biston betularia
Cabera erythemaria
Cabera quadrifasciaria
Cabera variolaria
Campaea perlata
Caripeta angustiorata
Caripeta aretaria
Caripeta divisata
Caripeta piniata
Cepphis armataria
Cepphis decoloraria
Ceratonyx satanaria
Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria
Chloropteryx tepperaria
Cladara atroliturata
Cladara limitaria
Cladara unidentified species
Cleora projecta
Cleora sublunaria
Cleora unidentified species
Costaconvexa centrostrigaria
Cyclophora myrtaria
Cyclophora nanaria
Cyclophora new species 1 nr. culicaria
Cyclophora packardi
Cyclophora pendulinaria
Cyclophora unidentified species
Cymatophora approximaria
Dichorda iridaria
Digrammia continuata
Digrammia eremiata
Digrammia gnophosaria
Digrammia ocellinata
Digrammia ordinata
Disclisioprocta stellata
Dyspteris abortivaria
Dysstroma citrata
Dysstroma hersiliata
Dysstroma truncata
Ectropis crepuscularia
Ennomos magnaria
Ennomos subsignaria
Entephria lagganata
Entephria separata
Epimecis hortaria
Epirrhoe alternata
Epirrita autumnata
Episemasia solitaria
Erannis tiliaria
Erastria coloraria
Erastria cruentaria
Eubaphe mendica
Eubaphe meridiana
Euchlaena amoenaria
Euchlaena deductaria
Euchlaena effecta
Euchlaena irraria
Euchlaena johnsonaria
Euchlaena madusaria
Euchlaena marginaria
Euchlaena milnei
Euchlaena muzaria
Euchlaena obtusaria
Euchlaena serrata
Euchlaena tigrinaria
Euchlaena unidentified species
Eufidonia convergaria
Eufidonia notataria
Eufidonia unidentified species
Eugonobapta nivosaria
Eulithis diversilineata
Eulithis explanata
Eulithis gracilineata
Eulithis molliculata
Eulithis propulsata
Eulithis unidentified species
Eumacaria madopata
Euphyia intermediata
Eupithecia absinthiata
Eupithecia affinata
Eupithecia broui
Eupithecia cimicifugata
Eupithecia cocoata
Eupithecia coloradensis
Eupithecia columbiata
Eupithecia exudata
Eupithecia fletcherata
Eupithecia herefordaria
Eupithecia indistincta
Eupithecia jejunata
Eupithecia lariciata
Eupithecia matheri
Eupithecia miserulata
Eupithecia mutata
Eupithecia palpata
Eupithecia peckorum
Eupithecia perfusca
Eupithecia regina
Eupithecia russeliata
Eupithecia satyrata
Eupithecia subfuscata
Eupithecia swettii
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Eupithecia unidentified species
Eusarca confusaria
Eusarca fundaria
Eusarca packardaria
Eutrapela clemataria
Exelis pyrolaria
Gandaritis atricolorata
Geometrinae unidentified species
Glena cognataria
Glena cribrataria
Glena plumosaria
Glenoides texanaria
Gueneria similaria
Haematopis grataria
Heliomata cycladata
Heliomata infulata
Hesperumia sulphuraria
Heterophleps refusaria
Heterophleps triguttaria
Homochlodes fritillaria
Horisme intestinata
Hydrelia albifera
Hydrelia condensata
Hydrelia inornata
Hydrelia lucata
Hydrelia unidentified species
Hydria unidentified species
Hydriomena divisaria
Hydriomena exculpata
Hydriomena pluviata
Hydriomena renunciata
Hydriomena transfigurata
Hydriomena unidentified species
Hypagyrtis brendae
Hypagyrtis esther
Hypagyrtis unidentified species
Hypagyrtis unipunctata
Hypomecis buchholzaria
Hypomecis gnopharia_umbrosaria complex
Hypomecis longipectinaria
Hypomecis umbrosaria
Hypomecis unidentified species
Idaea bonifata
Idaea celtima
Idaea demissaria
Idaea eremiata
Idaea furciferata
Idaea hilliata
Idaea micropterata
Idaea obfusaria
Idaea ostentaria
Idaea productata
Idaea scintillularia
Idaea tacturata
Idaea violacearia
Ilexia intractata
Iridopsis cypressaria
Iridopsis defectaria
Iridopsis ephyraria
Iridopsis humaria
Iridopsis larvaria
Iridopsis pergracilis
Iridopsis unidentified species
Iridopsis vellivolata
Lambdina canitiaria
Lambdina fervidaria
Lambdina fiscellaria
Lambdina pellucidaria
Lambdina unidentified species
Leptostales crossii
Leptostales ferruminaria
Leptostales laevitaria
Leptostales pannaria
Lobocleta ossularia
Lobocleta peralbata
Lobocleta plemyraria
Lobocleta unidentified species
Lobophora nivigerata
Lomographa glomeraria
Lomographa semiclarata
Lomographa vestaliata
Lophosis labeculata
Lycia ypsilon
Lytrosis heitzmanorum
Lytrosis permagnaria
Lytrosis sinuosa
Lytrosis unitaria
Macaria aemulataria
Macaria aemulataria-promiscuata
Macaria aequiferaria
Macaria bicolorata
Macaria bisignata
Macaria distribuaria
Macaria fissinotata
Macaria granitata
Macaria minorata
Macaria multilineata
Macaria pinistrobata
Macaria promiscuata
Macaria pustularia
Macaria signaria
Macaria subcessaria
Macaria transitaria
Macaria ulsterata
Macaria unidentified species
Macaria varadaria
Martania basaliata
Melanolophia canadaria
Melanolophia signataria
Melanolophia unidentified species
Mellilla xanthometata
Mesoleuca ruficillata
Metanema determinata
Metanema inatomaria
Metarranthis amyrisaria
Metarranthis angularia
Metarranthis duaria
Metarranthis homuraria
Metarranthis hypochraria
Metarranthis indeclinata
Metarranthis lateritiaria
Metarranthis mollicularia
Metarranthis obfirmaria
Metarranthis pilosaria
Metarranthis refractaria
Metarranthis unidentified species
Nematocampa baggettaria
Nematocampa resistaria
Nemoria bifilata
Nemoria bistriaria
Nemoria elfa
Nemoria lixaria
Nemoria mimosaria
Nemoria outina
Nemoria rubrifrontaria
Nemoria saturiba
Nemoria tuscarora
Nemoria unidentified species
Nepytia canosaria
Nepytia semiclusaria
Nepytia unidentified species
Operophtera bruceata
Orthofidonia exornata
Orthofidonia flavivenata
Orthofidonia tinctaria
Orthonama obstipata
Paleacrita merriccata
Paleacrita vernata
Pasiphila rectangulata
Patalene olyzonaria
Pero ancetaria
Pero antidiscaria
Pero honestaria
Pero morrisonaria
Pero unidentified species
Pero zalissaria
Petrophora divisata
Petrophora subaequaria
Phaeoura quernaria
Phigalia denticulata
Phigalia strigataria
Phigalia titea
Phigalia unidentified species
Pimaphera sparsaria
Plagodis alcoolaria
Plagodis fervidaria
Plagodis kuetzingi
Plagodis phlogosaria
Plagodis pulveraria
Plagodis serinaria
Pleuroprucha insulsaria
Probole amicaria
Probole nepiasaria
Prochoerodes lineola
Protitame unidentified species
Protitame virginalis
Protoboarmia porcelaria
Psamatodes abydata
Rheumaptera hastata
Rheumaptera meadii
Rheumaptera prunivorata
Rheumaptera undulata
Rheumaptera undulata-prunivorata
Scopula aemulata
Scopula cacuminaria
Scopula compensata
Scopula inductata
Scopula lautaria
Scopula limboundata
Scopula ordinata
Scopula purata
Selenia alciphearia
Selenia kentaria
Sicya macularia
Spargania magnoliata
Sphacelodes vulneraria
Stamnodes gibbicostata
Stenoporpia polygrammaria
Synchlora aerata
Synchlora frondaria
Synchlora unidentified species
Tacparia detersata
Tacparia zalissaria
Tetracis cachexiata
Tetracis crocallata
Thalera pistasciaria
Timandra amaturaria
Tornos abjectarius
Tornos cinctarius
Tornos scolopacinaria
Trichodezia albovittata
Trigrammia quadrinotaria
Venusia cambrica
Venusia comptaria
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Xanthorhoe iduata
Xanthorhoe labradorensis
Xanthorhoe labradorensis-packardata complex
Xanthorhoe lacustrata
Xanthorhoe packardata
Xanthorhoe unidentified species
Xanthotype attenuaria
Xanthotype rufaria
Xanthotype sospeta
Xanthotype unidentified species
Xanthotype urticaria
Nemoria
Members:
Nemoria bifilata
Nemoria bistriaria
Nemoria elfa
Nemoria lixaria
Nemoria mimosaria
Nemoria outina
Nemoria rubrifrontaria
Nemoria saturiba
Nemoria tuscarora
Nemoria unidentified species
149 NC Records
Nemoria elfa
Ferguson, 1969 - Cypress Emerald
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea
Family:
Geometridae
Subfamily:
Geometrinae
Tribe:
Nemoriini
P3 Number:
910609.00
MONA Number:
7029.00
Comments:
One of 35 species in this genus that occur in North America (Ferguson, 1985), nine of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Ferguson (1969) included elfa within the Extramaria Species Group (Group IV), which in North Carolina also includes tuscarora and outina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Ferguson (1985)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Ferguson (1985); Wagner (2005; photograph but no description)
Adult Markings:
A small Emerald, with both a reddish-brown cool season form and a green warm season form. The abdomen is unspotted and concolorous with the wing color. The tranverse lines are thin, white, and slightly waved to crenulate. Other markings are variable: the terminal line may be present or absent; fringes may be white or pink; the front and interantennal fillet may also be marked with red or can be green (Ferguson, 1985). Nemoria outina is similar in size to elfa, but is darker green, has fine white striations on its wings, and has a yellowish fringe. A continuous red terminal line is also present in outina, which is absent or broken in elfa, and the front is always red, not green, as is often true for elfa (Ferguson, 1985).
Wingspan:
16-17 mm (measured from Ferguson, 1985)
Forewing Length:
9-10 mm in males; 9-12 mm in females (Ferguson, 1985)
Adult Structural Features:
The antennae of the males are pectinate, with the longest branches equal to 3-4 times the width of the shaft (Ferguson, 1985). Male genitalia -- illustrated by Ferguson (1985)-- are similar to other members of the Extramaria Group, but differ slightly in the shape of the costal process.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development:
The larva illustrated by Wagner (2005) is primarily green, but most Nemoria larvae are largely brown (Ferguson, 1985; color not described for elfa). Unlike most other Nemoria larvae, the integument is smooth rather than pilose or granulated. Ferguson (1985) noted that they are similar to N. saturiba, which also have a smooth integument, but have more bilobate heads and more prominent processes on the prothorax -- two large, conical points along with four smaller ones.
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Restricted to the Coastal Plain, including the Fall-line Sandhills. A record from the Mountains needs to be verified but may represent N. tuscarora, not elfa.
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
Flight Comments:
Adults fly essentially continuously from early March to early November
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Our records all come from Cypress-containing habitats, including riverine, non-riverine, and tidal swamp forests dominated by Bald Cypress, and cypress savannas, Carolina Bays, and other shallow impoundments where where Pond Cypress is present but not Bald Cypress.
Larval Host Plants:
Probably stenophagous, feeding on Cypress (Taxodium distichum and T. ascendens) (Wagner, 2005). -
View
Observation Methods:
Comes well to blacklights
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
Cypress Swamps and Savannas
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
G4? [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 a habitat specialist, but cypress-containing habitats are still fairly widepsread in the state and this species currently seems fairly secure. However, both the vast non-riverine swamps on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula and most examples of Tidal Cypress Gum Forests are highly threatened by sea level rise and salt-water intrusion. Many Carolina Bays have been converted to agriculture or silviculture and even deeply-flooded riverine stands of Bald Cypress are subject to logging. Due to these threats, we recommend that populations of this species and other characteristic of cypress habitats be monitored for changes in their status.
Photo Gallery for
Nemoria elfa
- Cypress Emerald
Photos: 11
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-17
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-03-07
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-27
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-03-15
Orange Co.
Comment: 3-4 mature cypresses occur about 100 meters behind our property along the banks of a still section of New Hope Creek that’s been backed up by a low dam
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-05-02
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Thomas C Reed on 2019-09-07
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2018-06-14
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2016-06-24
Washington Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2013-09-08
Washington Co.
Comment: