Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFGeometridae Members:
Scopula Members:
48 NC Records

Scopula inductata (Guenée, [1858]) - Soft-lined Wave Moth

Scopula inductataScopula inductata
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: SterrhinaeTribe: ScopuliniP3 Number: 91a0115 MONA Number: 7169.00
Comments: One of 26 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Pohl et al., 2016), seven of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Covell (1970)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A moderately small Geometrid. The wings are pale cream or gray and moderately to heavily dusted with brown, sometimes with the brown dominating. They are crossed by five somewhat diffuse lines that are darker gray; the median and postmedian are the strongest (Covell, 1984) and there are small black discal dots on each wing. Inductata is similar but smaller than Scopula limboundata, especially resembling form enuculeata that lacks the dark subterminal shading often found in that species. The lines in inductata are usually paler and more diffuse; they are straighter or more gently curved, running parallel to one another; and the postmedian does not show a strong bulge at the end of the cell or a smaller bulge below it. The basal and median areas are often dusted with darker gray to black scales, whereas these areas are typically clear in limboundata. While the subterminal area can be shaded with gray lines or blotches, these are never as strongly contrasting as in the typical forms of limboundata.
Wingspan: 18-25 mm (Covell, 1984)
Adult Structural Features: The palps are uniformly fuscous in inductata, unlike the bicolored black-and-white palps of limboundata (Forbes, 1948). A photograph showing a side view of the head and clearly showing the palps helps in the identification.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come mainly from wet, open areas, including Pine Savannas in the Coastal Plain and wet meadows in the Piedmont and Mountains. A few records also come from upland meadows at fairly high elevations.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Ragweeds, Asters, Clovers, and Cherries (Robinson et al., 2010) - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Scopula inductata - Soft-lined Wave Moth

Photos: 4

Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-31
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2018-05-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2013-07-06
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: