Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Notodontidae Members:	Datana Members:	263 NC Records

Datana integerrima Grote & Robinson, 1866 - Walnut Caterpillar Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Notodontidae

Subfamily:
Phalerinae

P3 Number:
930038

MONA Number:
7907.00

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 Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical 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 reddish-brown and is rather evenly colored and not peppered with brown or silvery scales. The lines are bordered outwardly with pale yellow (Forbes, 1948). Datana contracta is similar in pattern but the ground color of the forewings is golden-yellow, strongly peppered with darker brown scales (Forbes, 1948; Miller et al., 2018).

Wingspan: 35-50 mm (Forbes, 1948)

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Larvae are black and covered by long white setae. A white subspiracular stripe is present but the other pale stripes typically found in Datana larvae are present in young instars but often absent or only weakly developed in later instars (Wagner, 2005; Miller et al., 2018). Molting is synchronized and takes place in clusters on tree trunks.

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Woodlands and parks and orchards containing Pecans (Wagner, 2005). Our records come from both xeric hardwoods, including maritime forests and inland sand ridges -- presumably in association with Mockernut or Sand Hickory -- and from mesic slopes and bottomlands, where walnuts are common.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on members of the Juglandaceae, including walnut (Juglans), Butternut (J. cinerea), and hickories (Carya) (Wagner, 2005; Miller et al., 2018). Wagner also lists birch (Betula), oak (Quercus), willow (Salix), and blueberry (Vaccinium). In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded on Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa), Pecan (C. illinoinensis), and Black Walnut (Juglans nigra). - View

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

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 integerrima - Walnut Caterpillar Moth

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-13 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-13 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-09 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-09 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-06-22 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-19 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-13 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-13 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-06-04 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-23 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham 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: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27 Chatham 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 2024-07-15 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-15 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-29 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-17 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-11 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-10 Wilson Co. Comment: