Moths of North Carolina
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Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-Fairy moths
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-Batrachedrid Moths
BEDELLIIDAE-Bedelliid Moths
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-Metalmark Moths
COLEOPHORIDAE-Casebearer Moths and Relatives
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-Cosmopterigid Moths
COSSIDAE-Carpenter Moths, Goat Moths
CRAMBIDAE-Grass Moths, Snout Moths
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-Hook-tips and Thyatirid Moths
ELACHISTIDAE-Grassminer Moths and Relatives
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-Gelechiid Moths; Twirler Moths
GEOMETRIDAE-Geometer Moths, Loopers
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-Sedge Moths
GRACILLARIIDAE-Leafblotch miner moths
HELIOZELIDAE-Shield bearer moths
HEPIALIDAE-Ghost or Swift Moths
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-Tent Caterpillar Moths, Lappet Moths
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-Slug Caterpillar Moths
LYONETIIDAE-Lyonetiid Moths
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-Mandibulate Moths
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-Minute leaf miners
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-Prominents
OECOPHORIDAE-Oecophorid Moths
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-Diamondback Moths
PRODOXIDAE-Yucca Moths
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-Plume Moths
PYRALIDAE-Pyralid Moths, Snout Moths
SATURNIIDAE-Giant Silkworm Moths
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-Schreckensteiniid Moths
SESIIDAE-Clearwing Moths
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-Window-winged Moths
TINEIDAE-Clothes moths
TISCHERIIDAE-Tischerid Moths
TORTRICIDAE-Leafroller Moths
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-Urodid Moths
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-Ermine Moths
YPSOLOPHIDAE-Ypsolophid Moths
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Saturniidae Members:
Actias luna
Anisota peigleri
Anisota senatoria
Anisota stigma
Anisota unidentified species
Anisota virginiensis
Antheraea polyphemus
Automeris io
Callosamia angulifera
Callosamia promethea
Callosamia securifera
Callosamia unidentified species
Citheronia regalis
Citheronia sepulcralis
Dryocampa rubicunda
Eacles imperialis
Hemileuca maia
Hyalophora cecropia
Samia cynthia
Syssphinx bicolor
Syssphinx bisecta
Citheronia
Members:
Citheronia regalis
Citheronia sepulcralis
137 NC Records
Citheronia regalis
(Fabricius, 1793) - Regal Moth
view caption
WEWO - Scott Hartley on 2006-08-27 in Moore Co.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea
Family:
Saturniidae
Subfamily:
Caratocaminae
P3 Number:
890009
MONA Number:
7706.00
Comments:
One of two species in this genus that occurs in North Carolina (a third species,
Citheronia splendens
, occurs in the US in southern Arizona)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes (1923), Ferguson (1971), Tuskes et al. (1996)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Forbes (1923), Ferguson (1971), Covell (1984), Tuskes et al. (1996), Wagner (2005)
Adult Markings:
The large gray, red-veined, and yellow spotted adults are unmistakeable.
Wingspan:
110-160 mm (Forbes, 1923); 9.5 - 15.5 cm, females larger than males (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements:
Unmistakable and widely known.
Immatures and Development:
The caterpillars, known as Hickory Horned Devils, are also distinctive, due to their large size and three pairs of conspicuous leg-like spines located on their anterior thoracic segments. Larvae of the Pine Devil (
Citheronia sepulcralis
) are fairly similar, but are typically brown or beige with yellow horns whereas
C. regalis
larvae are usually green or brown and more strikingly marked; their thoracic and caudal horns are also usually orange to reddish in color and tipped with black (Tuskes et al., 1996).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Occurs state-wide (Brimley, 1938)
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
Flight Comments:
Brimley (1938) stated that
Citheronia regalis
is at least partially two-brooded in North Carolina. However, it appears to be a univoltine, summer-flying species over much of its range (Ferguson, 1971; Tuskes et al., 1996), which appears to be supported by our data.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Occurs in a wide variety of forests, ranging from peatland and longleaf pine communities in the Coastal Plain to bottomland and upland hardwoods in the Piedmont and Mountains, including those located above 4,000 ft in elevation. We have no records from the Outer Banks, however, or from other barrier islands.
Larval Host Plants:
Polyphagous on many species of hardwood trees and shrubs. Brimley (1938) lists the following host plants used in North Carolina: cotton, hickory, Sweetgum, Black Walnut, Pecan, Persimmon, Sourwood, and the introduced Princess Tree (Paulownia). Wagner (2005) adds ash, butternut, cherry, lilac, sumac, and sycamore. We have observed larvae on hickory, persimmon, sweetgum, and sumac. -
View
Observation Methods:
Comes moderately well to 15 watt UV lights and also to incandescent lights, almost always showing up as single individuals (the maximum number we have trapped on a given occasion is two). Adults do not feed and consequently are not attracted by bait or flowers. Larvae can be detected by their large droppings (Wagner, 2005) and when mature become quite conspicuous as they wander over the ground searching for a place to pupate. Pupation occurs underground.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
General Forests and Shrublands
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
Comments:
Populations are locally vulnerable to the effects of weather, outbreaks of disease, parasites, and predators, and to the effects of pesticides. However, given the commonness of their host plants, wide habitat range and statewide distribution, this species should easily recover from most localized and temporary losses. That may not be true, however, with respect to more pervasive, permanent threats. In the Northeast, populations of this moth have been widely and perhaps permanently extirpated, probably due to parasitism by
Compsilura concinnata
, a Tachinid fly widely introduced to combat Gypsy Moths and other pest Lepidoptera (Schweitzer et al., 2011; Wagner, 2012).
Compsilura
has now spread as far south as Virginia (Kellogg et al., 2003) and the situation in North Carolina needs to be monitored.
Photo Gallery for
Citheronia regalis
- Regal Moth
96 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Alex on 2024-07-16
Burke Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-07-14
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-07-13
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Elizabeth Tingley on 2024-07-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Elizabeth Tingley on 2024-07-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Elizabeth Tingley on 2024-07-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Marie Leonard on 2024-07-09
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Marie Leonard on 2024-07-09
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Spainhour on 2024-07-07
Surry Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: ashley holden on 2024-06-06
Avery Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-09-03
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-09-03
Durham Co.
Comment: feeding on persimmon.
Recorded by: H. Talcott on 2023-08-16
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2023-07-19
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-07-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kenneth A Lloyd on 2023-06-19
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kenneth A Lloyd on 2023-06-19
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Carol Ann McCormick on 2023-06-05
Alamance Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Carol Ann McCormick on 2023-06-05
Alamance Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: J. Mickey on 2022-09-30
Wilkes Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-24
Chatham Co.
Comment: