Moths of North Carolina

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Nemoria lixaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Red-bordered Emerald

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Geometrinae

Tribe:
Nemoriini

P3 Number:
91a0620

MONA Number:
7033.00

Other Common Name:
Ocellate Emerald

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 lixaria within the Lixaria Species Group (Group V), which comprises only lixaria and saturiba.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948), Ferguson (1969, 1985)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Ferguson (1985); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: A medium-sized Emerald. Lixaria has fairly dark green wings, with white, sinuous to dentate lines; the postmedian is somewhat excurved, running parallel to the outer margin. A red terminal line is present and the fringes are white but conspicuously checkered with bright red. Strong, black discal dots are usually present on both sets of wings. Winter specimens may have a brownish edging to the lines or the wings may be suffused with a blackish shade, but no reddish cool season forms exist similar to those of N. bistriaria. The abdomen has three large white spots (sometimes more) surrounded by red. The green summer form of bistriria is very similar in size, color, and pattern, but has a much straighter and more even postmedian line and a less contrastingly checkered fringe. Bistriaria also lacks the black discal spots found in lixaria (Forbes, 1948).

Forewing Length: 10.5-13 mm, males; 12-15 mm, females (Ferguson, 1985)

Adult Structural Features: The uncus in the males has an expanded, scoop-shaped tip that easily distinguishes this species from all others in this genus. The females have longer palps than in bistriaria, a trait that can be used in diagnosing worn specimens (Ferguson, 1985).

Genitalia and other structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Larvae are variegated with dark brown streaks on a light brown ground color (Ferguson, 1985). As is typical for this genus, larvae possess large dorsolateral appendages on segments A2, A3, and A4, with smaller ones located on the other abdominal and thoracic segments. The processes on A2 and A3 are larger and more acutely pointed than in other species, whose processes tend to be more even in size (Ferguson, 1985). Lixaria also lacks the dorsal spots found in those species and has three dark lines running in between the dorsolateral processes. See Wagner (2005) for an illustration.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found statewide, but less commonly in the Mountains

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
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: Adults can be found at nearly any season in North Carolina, although less commonly in the winter. Possibly has three peaks in abundance.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Lixaria has been recorded from a wide range of hardwood forests in North Carolina, including Maritime Forests on the barrier islands, riverine and non-riverine swamp forests, xeric sandhills, and upland stands in the mountains.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are reportedly polyphagous. Wagner (2005) lists oak (Quercus), Red Maple (Acer rubrum), and Sweet-fern (Comptonia peregrina). Ferguson (1985) reported that captive larvae fed well on oaks, particularly on Red Oak (Q. rubra). In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan recorded larvae on Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis) and Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum). - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights but we have no records from bait or from flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: Given its wide occurrence and use of multiple, common host plants and habitat types across the state, this species appears to be secure in North Carolina.

Photo Gallery for Nemoria lixaria - Red-bordered Emerald

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

	Recorded by: G. Newman on 2025-11-17 Onslow Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-05 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: S. L. Reeves, Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish, John F. Jarvis on 2025-11-05 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westph@ret.unca.edu on 2025-10-18 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-10-16 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-14 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-04 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-28 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-09-22 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-07-28 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-08 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-28 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-05-26 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-29 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Miles Buddy on 2025-04-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-25 Columbus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-04-23 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-04-21 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-14 Bladen Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-03-27 Carteret Co. Comment: