Moths of North Carolina
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198 NC Records

Thalera pistasciaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Pistachio Emerald

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: GeometrinaeTribe: HemitheiniP3 Number: 91a0674 MONA Number: 7084.00 MONA Synonym: Hethemia pistasciaria
Comments: This genus contains just the single species that is found in North Carolina (Ferguson, 1985).
Species Status: Two subspecies have been described, of which we presumably have the nominate form; T. pistaciaria insecutata is primarily a Floridian form and has only been recorded as far north as the Santee River in South Carolina (Ferguson, 1985). The main difference is in wing color, with the nominate form being green and insecutata being purplish-brown to red (Ferguson, 1985). While we have records for brick-red individuals, primarily from along the Coast, they need to be checked whether they also have the light brown ground color on the undersurfaces of the wings, which Ferguson considers characteristic of insecutata, or the bright ochre that is characteristic of the nominate subspecies.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948, as Chlorissa pistaciaria); Ferguson (1969, 1985)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Ferguson (1985); Wagner et al., (2001); Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A small Emerald with angled hindwings somewhat similar to those of Chloropteryx tepperaria but less strongly pointed (Ferguson, 1985). The ground color of the wings is olive to pistachio green in the males and a brighter sage-green in the females (Ferguson, 1985). The color of the males, however, is unstable and fades to yellowish in some individuals. The undersides of the males are a bright ocher color, which is also present in the females in populations south of New Jersey (Ferguson, 1985). Some of our specimens -- particularly from along the Coast -- are reddish-brown, which Ferguson considered typical of the southern subspecies, insecutata (see discussion above under Species Comments). As in Chloropteryx, the antemedian and postmedian lines are thin and often represented by separated spots. However, the postmedian is much more even in its course than in Chloropteryx. Hethemia also differs from Chloropteryx in lacking a terminal line and having solid-colored fringes, which are often reddish-brown in the males and green in the females (Ferguson, 1985). The costa is also usually a solid red or yellow, lacking the brown spots found in Chloropteryx. No brown abdominal spot is found in Hethemia and the collar is usually yellowish or brown, rather than green, as is true for Chloropteryx.
Forewing Length: 8.5-10 mm, males; 10-13 mm, females (Ferguson, 1985)
Adult Structural Features: Males are unique among our Emeralds in possessing simple antennae (Ferguson, 1985). As in other members of the Hemitheini, males also posses only a single pair of spurs on the hind tibiae; females possess two. The eighth sternite in the males has a two-pronged process and the valves, gnathos, and transitilla are distinctive (Ferguson, 1985).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are slender and lack the dorso-lateral processes found in Nemoria, Dichorda, and Synchlora. As in Chlorochlamys and Chloropteryx, the head of the larvae is bifurcate, with two projections also found on the prothorax; the supra-anal plate also has a single pointed projection. The projections on the head are longer and more pointed than in Chlorchlamys and the projection on the supra-anal plate is proportionately shorter than in Chloropteryx (Wagner et al., 2001).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably occurs 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)

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