Moths of North Carolina
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224 NC Records

Chloropteryx tepperaria (Hulst, 1886) - Angle-winged Emerald

Chloropteryx tepperariaChloropteryx tepperariaChloropteryx tepperaria
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: GeometrinaeTribe: HemitheiniP3 Number: 91a0665 MONA Number: 7075.00
Comments: One of three species in this genus that occur north of Mexico (Ferguson, 1985), and the only one found in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)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)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A small olive-, gray-, or blue-green Emerald, with sharply pointed hindwings and a contrasting brown blotch on the second abdominal segment (Ferguson, 1985). The antemedian and postmedian lines are usually discontinuous, usually consisting of separate pales spots. Both lines are irregular, with a strong offset present in the middle of the line in the postmedian on both wings; the antemedian line is more evenly curved and only present on the forewing. A dark brown terminal line is present on both wings and the fringe is often checkered with brown. The costa may also have a series of brown spots on a contrasting yellow ground color, particularly in the outer half. Hethemia pistaciaria is the only Emerald in our area with a similarly pointed hindwing. However, the point is more rounded over in Hethemia than in Chloropteryx. It also lacks the dark brown blotch on the abdomen; lacks a dark brown terminal line and spots on the fringe; the postmedian is more regular, although also consisting of separate dots (Ferguson, 1985).
Forewing Length: 8-9 mm, males; 10-10.5 mm, females (Ferguson, 1985)
Adult Structural Features: The male antennae are broadly pectinate at the base and gradually tapering towards the apex; this easily distinguishes them from males of Hethemia pistaciaria, which are simple. As in other members of the Hemitheini, males possess only a single pair of spurs on the hind tibiae, but two are found in females. Both male and female genitalia are distinctive (see Ferguson, 1985, for details and illustrations).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are slender and lack the prominent dorso-lateral projections found in Nemoria, Dichorda, and Synchlora. They are similar, however, to other species of the Hemetheini, possessing a pair of horn-like projections on the head and prothorax and a conical projections on the supra-anal plate. The head is dark brown and the supra-anal projection is more elongated than in the other two species.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Most of our records come from the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont, but there are at least a few from the western half of the state, suggesting that this species could occur statewide
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 are present throughout the growing season, from late March to early October at least in the Coastal Plain. Two main peaks exist, one in the spring and one in the summer.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records come from swamps and bottomland forests in the Coastal Plain where Bald Cypress or Pond Cypress are present. Most of the rest also come from riparian or mesic forests, although without cypresses being present. Records from dry to xeric habitats are absent except for records coming from maritime forest and scrub habitats at Fort Macon State Park.
Larval Host Plants: Possibly oligophagous, having been found feeding on Bald Cypress in the wild, but accepting Hemlock and Fir in captivity (Wagner et al., 2001); Feguson (1985) also reports rearing them on Winged Sumac. The full dietary range needs to be better documented, with the moth having been found in several Piedmont locations that lack both Cypress and Hemlock (the same has been noted elsewhere; Wagner et al., 2001). There is no habitat correlation that we have seen, however, between the occurrences of this species and the presence of Winged Sumac. - View
Observation Methods: Appears to come well to blacklights but not to bait or flowers.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Host plants and habitat associations still need to be clarified for this species. However, it is found over a wide area of the state and does not appear to be restricted to rare types of habitats. Consequently, it appears to be fairly secure within North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Chloropteryx tepperaria - Angle-winged Emerald

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-25
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-25
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-17
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-17
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-11
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-11
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2024-06-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jennifer Smith & Michael P. Morales on 2023-09-25
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-19
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-11
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-07
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-31
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-27
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-08
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-08
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-08
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-25
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-07-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-06
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-17
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-05-10
Wake Co.
Comment: