Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members: Nemoria Members: 46 NC Records

Nemoria mimosaria (Guenée, [1858]) - White-fringed Emerald

Nemoria mimosariaNemoria mimosariaNemoria mimosaria
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Geometrinae		Tribe:
Nemoriini		P3 Number:
91a0636		 MONA Number:
7048.00		 Other Common Name:
Flanged Looper
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 mimosaria in his Bistriaria Species Group (VIII), which also includes bifilata, bistriaria, and rubrifrontaria in North Carolina, as well as eight others in the West.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1969, 1985)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Ferguson (1969, 1985); Wagner et al. (2001); Maier et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Nemoria mimosaria is a medium-sized, light pea-green Emerald; no reddish-brown spring form is known (Ferguson, 1985). The antemedial line is usually convex and waved; the postmedian is usually straight and even. No red terminal line is present and the fringe is typically pure white. A spot of pure white also exists at the base of the abdomen and is not surrounded by red as in other species of Nemoria. This spot, along with the lack of a terminal line and presence of all white fringes are diagnostic of this species. N. tuscarora is similar in size and color but lacks any white spots on the abdomen. N. rubrifrontaria has red-ringed spots on the abdomen and typically has a pinkish fringe.
Forewing Length: 10.5-14 mm, males; 12-14 mm, females (Ferguson, 1969)
Adult Structural Features: Fore-tibiae are reddish but lack the white transverse line found in N. lixaria and bistriaria. Male valves have well-developed basal and distal processes that distinguish them from other species of Nemoria (see Ferguson, 1985, for details and illustrations).
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 coarsely pilose and possess prominent wing-like, dorso-lateral projections similar to several other members of this genus. Wagner (2005) recommends that larvae be reared to adulthood in order to identify them to species. However, any Nemoria larvae found feeding on conifers is likely to be this species (Maier et al., 2011).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: All except the two records from Brimley (1938) come from the Mountains (or the base of the Blue Ridge in the case of the McDowell County record).
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Nemoria mimosariaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.