Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
Choose a Family
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-Fairy moths
ALUCITIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
ARGYRESTHIIDAE-
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
DRYADAULIDAE-
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
LIMOCODIDAE-
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
SCYTHRIDIDAE-
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
Anisota
Members:
Anisota peigleri
Anisota senatoria
Anisota stigma
Anisota unidentified species
Anisota virginiensis
175 NC Records
Anisota virginiensis
(Drury, 1773) - Pink-striped Oakworm Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea
Family:
Saturniidae
Subfamily:
Caratocaminae
P3 Number:
890017
MONA Number:
7723.00
MONA Synonym:
includes Anisota pellucida
Comments:
One of four species in this genus that occurs in North Carolina (3 others occur north of Mexico -- Tuskes et al. 1996). Ferguson (1971) described a southern subspecies,
pellucida
, based primarily on its more intense shade of red. Tuskes et al. (1996), however, considered the differences between the forms to be clinal. Apart from some possible and minor differences in the length of the spines in the larvae (Burke and Peigler, 2009), there does not seem to be any convincing reason to treat pellucida separately, particularly as a full species (as proposed by Riotte and Peigler, 1980; see also Burke and Peigler, 2009). We follow Tuskes et al. in this regard.
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:
Adult females are fairly easy to recognize, differing from those of
A. stigma
and
senatoria
in a number of respects: no dark speckling on the wings; more pinkish coloration, particularly in the marginal area beyond the postmedian line; and generally having longer, narrower forewings. Some individuals may be fairly translucent (form
virginiensis
) while others may be opaque (form
pellucida
). Tuskes et al. (1996) note the existence of intermediate forms, including specimens from Halifax County, NC ( Ferguson, 1971, also shows an individual -- labeled subspecies
virginiensis
-- that looks intermediate between a more completely translucent individual labeled
virginiensis
and a more opaque specimen identified as
pellucida
; see Plate 5. 22-24). Males, like those of
A. senatoria
and
peigleri
, are believed to be bee mimics, possessing translucent forewings and flying only during the day (Tuskes et al., 1996). Males of
virginiensis
tend to have more transparent forewings than
senatoria
or
peigleri
and have more convex outer margins on both sets of wings (see illustrations in 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:
Larvae -- Pink-striped Oakworms -- are quite distinctive, possessing conspicuous longitudinal pink stripes on a black ground color, and covered with small white tubercles similarly to
A. stigma
but not
senatoria
or
peigleri
(Forbes, 1923; Ferguson, 1971; 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:
Probably occurs statewide except for the High Mountains, where oaks are scarce
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