Moths of North Carolina
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Pleuroprucha Members:
572 NC Records

Pleuroprucha insulsaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Common Tan Wave Moth


Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: SterrhinaeTribe: CosymbiiniP3 Number: 910540.00 MONA Number: 7132.00
Species Status: Forbes (1948) included Pleuroprucha> in the Tribe Cosymbiini
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The head, thorax, and wings are all concolorous reddish or greenish-gray; a white bar between the antennae the only contrasting mark (Forbes, 1948). The discal dot is obscure and the postmedian is usually faint, but wavy and marked with points at the veins. The terminal line is fine and black.
Wingspan: 15 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: Males with hind tibiae with end spurs only (4 present in females) and otherwise not modified (Forbes, 1948). The forewings are unique among the Sterrhinae in lacking an accessory cell and the radial veins all originating from a common stalk. The hindwing is distinctively arc-shaped. Male antennae are pectinate.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Grasslands, fields, and the edges of woodlands (Wagner et al., 2001). We have records from essentially all types of habitats in North Carolina, from maritime forest and grasslands, to Longleaf Pine communities, to peatlands, to bottomlands, to Spruce-Fir forests, to successional fields.
Larval Host Plants: Polyphagous. Frequently found on Goldenrods but also reported on a wide range of woody and herbaceous plants (Wagner et al., 2001). As of 2023, we have one rearing record of a larva that was feeding on Chinese Elm (Ulmus parviflora). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Mixed Habitats
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
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 Photo Gallery for Pleuroprucha insulsaria - Common Tan Wave Moth

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

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-23
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-21
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-16
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-10-13
Onslow Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-11
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-10-02
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-30
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-17
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-15
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Adult was reared from a caterpillar collected off Chinese Elm, Ulmus parviflora, where it was eating its fruits.
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-15
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-15
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: A pupa from a caterpillar that was feeding on Chinese Elm, Ulmus parviflora, where it was eating its fruits (adult reared).
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-07
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-05
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-23
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-18
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-18
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-16
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2023-07-26
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2023-07-22
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2023-07-22
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-07-17
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-13
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06
Orange Co.
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