Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members:
Xanthorhoe Members:
85 NC Records

Xanthorhoe ferrugata (Clerck, 1759) - Red Twin-Spot Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: LarentiinaeTribe: XanthorhoiniP3 Number: 910231.00 MONA Number: 7388.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIFTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A double, black, subterminal spot is located along the Outer Margin opposite the cell; the postmedian line towards the costa is fine, double, and filled with white; the hindwing is not black or heavily bordered with black (Forbes, 1948 -- see key). In our other members of this genus, the subterminal spot is brown, or at most has only a few black scales, and the postmedian is not fine, white and double (the outer black line may be absent or diffuse rather than fine)
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: Mesic forests, woodlands, wooded swamps, and wet meadows (Wagner et al., 2001). Our records come from rich mesic and bottomland forests along the lower Roanoke River in the Coastal Plain. In the Mountains, they come from Northern Hardwoods, Cove Forests, and Riparian Forests.
Larval Host Plants: Polyphagous, feeding on many species of forbs, including clover, dandelion, ground ivy, knotweed, and pigweed (Wagner et al., 2001)
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 Xanthorhoe ferrugata - Red Twin-Spot Moth

Photos: 13

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-27
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-05-03
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-08-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-20
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-05-03
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-06-24
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2014-04-25
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-10-10
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2012-04-17
Graham Co.
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