Moths of North Carolina
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Anisota Members:
3 NC Records

Anisota peigleri Riotte, 1975 - Peigler's Oakworm Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Bombycoidea Family: SaturniidaeSubfamily: CaratocaminaeP3 Number: 890020.00 MONA Number: 7720.00
Comments: Close to senatoria and possibly just a clinal form (Tuskes et al., 1996)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Tuskes et al. (1996)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Tuskes et al. (1996), Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Adults probably cannot be reliably distinguished from Anisota senatoria. Females may additionally be difficult to tell apart from Anisota stigma (see Identification Comments for senatoria).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Immatures and Development: This species are best distinguished based on larval characters: although similar to senatoria in their possession of black and yellow stripes, larvae of peigleri have a more prominent row of dorsolateral spines and longer spines in general (Tuskes et al., 1996; Wagner, 2005).
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
Flight Comments: Probably single-brooded
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Oak forests but relative use of upland and lowland stands is not clear in North Carolina.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on oaks, including Black Oak (Quercus velutina) and Pin Oak (Q. palustris) (Tuskes et al., 1996). In Florida, Serrano and Foltz (2003) found Water Oak (Q. nigra) and Shumard Oak (Q. shumardi) to be most frequently infested, with Laurel Oak (Q. laurifolia) and Southern Red Oak (Q. falcata) used less frequently. - View
Observation Methods: Females but not males come to lights. Adults do not feed and consequently do not come to bait. Although males are believed to be bee mimics, they do not visit flowers and are rarely seen. Larvae are gregarious and undergo periodic outbreaks when they become especially conspicuous (Tuskes et al., 1996).
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4Q [SU]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments: Uncertain until taxonomic status, distribution, and habitat associations are better known in North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Anisota peigleri - Peigler's Oakworm Moth

Photos: 1

Recorded by: J. A. Anderson on 2014-09-01
Surry Co.
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