Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFNotodontidae Members:
Datana Members:
86 NC Records

Datana contracta Walker, 1855 - Contracted Datana Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NotodontidaeSubfamily: PhalerinaeP3 Number: 930037.00 MONA Number: 7906.00
Comments: One of 16 species in this genus, all but one of which occurs in North America north of Mexico (Miller et al., 2018). Nine have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Miller et al. (2018)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner (2005); Miller et al. (2018)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: One of five Datanas in our area with a smooth outer margin of the forewing. The head is yellowish but the collar, tegulae, and mesothorax are contrastingly dark, reddish-brown. The ground color of the forewing is golden-yellow, especially in the costal area, and heavily peppered with brown but with no silvery frosting of gray or white scales. The lines are bordered outwardly with pale yellow (Forbes, 1948). Datana integerrima is similar in pattern but the ground color of the forewings are reddish-brown and lack the peppering of darker brown scales (Forbes, 1948; Miller et al., 2018).
Wingspan: 45-55 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Barrens and woodlands (Wagner, 2005). Our records all come from hardwood stands, with roughly 60% from dry-xeric habitats but with a substantial number from mesic stands.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Oaks and Chestnuts; other reported host plants are probably based on mis-identifications or on wandering, late instar larvae (Wagner, 2005; Miller et al., 2018).
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Datana contracta - Contracted Datana Moth

Photos: 30

Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2022-08-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-26
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-21
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-15
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2021-07-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-07-07
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-06-30
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-06-25
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-08-28
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-08-18
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-08-01
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: L. M. Carlson on 2019-08-08
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: L. M. Carlson on 2019-07-28
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2017-09-19
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-08-30
Cabarrus Co.
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Recorded by: J. A. Anderson on 2015-07-06
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: L. Amos on 2013-08-02
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2011-08-04
Beaufort Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2011-08-04
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2010-07-03
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2009-07-05
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: J. Shimel on 2007-09-16
Halifax Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: ASH on 2007-08-09
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: ASH on 2006-09-10
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: M. Haynes on 2005-08-08
Stokes Co.
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