Moths of North Carolina
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Dryocampa Members:
719 NC Records

Dryocampa rubicunda (Fabricius, 1793) - Rosy Maple Moth

Dryocampa rubicundaDryocampa rubicundaDryocampa rubicundaDryocampa rubicunda
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Bombycoidea Family: SaturniidaeSubfamily: CaratocaminaeP3 Number: 890022 MONA Number: 7715.00
Comments: The only member of its genus (see Ferguson, 1971, for its separation from Anisota). Several color forms have been described, one of which -- alba, a nearly all white form -- Ferguson recognized as a distinct subspecies. Only the typical bicolored form occurs in North Carolina, however.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical 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 bright yellow and pink adults are nearly unmistakeable. Only the Pink Prominent (Hyparpax aurora) and Primrose Moth (Schinia florida) are similar in color, although usually smaller. The subterminal area is yellow in S. florida, but red or pink in both Dryocampa and Hyparpax. The thorax of Dryocampa is completely yellow-orange, whereas in Hyparpax there is usually some pink color (Covell, 1984). The antemedian line is somewhat smoothly curved in Dryocampa but sharply angled in Hyparpax (Covell, 1984).
Wingspan: 40 mm, males; 50 mm, females (Forbes, 1923)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are very distinctive: they possess a pair of thoracic horns similar to those of Anisota larvae, but are striped with green and pale bluish-green stripes and often possess a pink or rosy patch below the spiracles at the rear end of the abdomen (Ferguson, 1971; Wagner, 2005).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Occurs statewide (Brimley, 1938), except, perhaps on the Outer Banks and other barrier islands
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: Probably double-brooded over most of the state (Brimley, 1938)
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Maples -- particularly Red maple -- occur in nearly every type of forested habitat in eastern North America. Not surprisingly, Dryocampa has been found in a wide variety of forests, ranging from swamps and peatlands in the Coastal Plain, to river bottomlands and mesic slopes throughout the Piedmont and Low and High Mountains. In addition to natural areas, it also occurs commonly in wooded residential area. We have no records for the Outer Banks and other barrier islandes, however, including Nags Head Woods, Fort Macon State Park, and Bald Head Island, all of which have had intensive moth surveys.
Larval Host Plants: Feeds mainly on maples (Acer spp.), including Red maple (A. rubrum), Sugar maple (A. saccharum), Silver maple (A. saccharinum), and Box elder (A. negundo) (Ferguson, 1971). In some areas, however, it has also been found on oaks, including Turkey oak (Q. laevis) (Ferguson, 1971). In North Carolina, we have found larvae primarily on Red Maple, with a few records from oaks, including White Oak (Q. alba). - View
Observation Methods: Adults of both sexes come well to lights, including both blacklights and incandescent. Early instar larvae are gregarious, and in outbreak years can be quite conspicuous. Pupation occurs underground.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Maple Forests
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 -- including suburban areas -- and statewide distribution, this species can easily recover from localized losses. Unlike several other species of Saturniids, Dryocampa has remained abundant in the Northeast (Wagner, 2012) and may not be as vulnerable to the effects of Compsilura parasitism.

 Photo Gallery for Dryocampa rubicunda - Rosy Maple Moth

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

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-09
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-06
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: A. Garton, M. Prinz on 2024-07-31
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-07-30
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-29
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-07-27
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-27
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-18
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-18
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-10
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Z. Lloyd on 2024-07-10
Wayne Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-07-07
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-04
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: A. Kauppila on 2024-06-28
Burke Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-06-24
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeremy on 2024-06-23
Union Co.
Comment: