Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Geometridae Members:	Dichorda Members:	136 NC Records

Dichorda iridaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Showy Emerald

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Geometrinae

Tribe:
Nemoriini

P3 Number:
91a0641

MONA Number:
7053.00

Comments: One of four species in this genus that occur north of Mexico and the only one that occurs in the East (Ferguson, 1985). We probably have only the nominate subspecies over most of the state, but the southern form -- Dichorda iridaria remotaria -- reaches at least the Santee River basin in South Carolina (Ferguson, 1985) and could potentially turn up in our Coastal Plain.

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 (1969, 1985); Wagner et al. (2001); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: A medium-sized, vibrant emerald-green Geometrid, with two broad white stripes that run a slightly curved but even course across the wings. Nemoria species are similar in size but have narrower and often waved or dentate lines. The apex of the forewing is also more pointed in Dichorda and the costa is white with dark speckling towards the base. No terminal line is present, as in some of the Nemoria, and the fringes are white.

Forewing Length: 11.5-15 mm, males; 15-16 mm, females (Ferguson, 1985)

Adult Structural Features: Both male and female genitalia are distinctive. Male valves are simple, lacking the basal and distal processes found in Nemoria (see Ferguson, 1985, for details and illustrations).

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Larvae are brown with a series of broad, wing-like dors-lateral plates extending from the second thoracic segment to the fifth abdominal segment; two hook-like projections extend upward and forward from the 8th abdominal segment (Wagner, 2005).

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Occurs statewide, from the Barrier Islands to at least the Low Mountains; we have no records, however, from sites located above 4,000 ft.

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 fly during most of the growing season, from March to September or October. Two main peaks or broods occur in the mountains, three in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: We have records from a wide range of open habitats, including maritime dunes, lake shorelines, sandhills, and old fields. We also have records from woodlands, or from at least along their edges.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on Poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and sumacs (Rhus spp.) (Wagner et al., 2001). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklight and we have at least one record from bait

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Sumac Thickets and Poison Ivy Tangles

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: Broadly distributed, occupying a wide range of habitats, and feeding on common-to-abundant host plants, this species appears to be secure in North Carolina

Photo Gallery for Dichorda iridaria - Showy Emerald

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-12 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-05-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-04-23 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-16 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-14 Bladen Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-14 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-20 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily L Stanley on 2023-05-10 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-04-21 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-04-11 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2022-09-04 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-31 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-08-27 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-22 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-05-21 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-05-04 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: M. Prinz on 2022-04-26 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-07 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-07 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-20 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-18 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-04-17 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-04-16 Cumberland Co. Comment: