Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNotodontidae Members:
Datana Members:
232 NC Records

Datana integerrima Grote & Robinson, 1866 - Walnut Caterpillar Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NotodontidaeSubfamily: PhalerinaeP3 Number: 930038.00 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 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 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)
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, Butternut, and Hickory (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 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

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

Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, David George on 2023-08-05
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Z. Lloyd on 2023-07-31
Wayne Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-27
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-24
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-23
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Carol Ann McCormick on 2023-07-22
Alamance Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Carol Ann McCormick on 2023-07-22
Alamance Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-10
Person Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka, David George on 2023-07-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-04
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-18
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-06-18
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-09
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-06
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-06-03
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-02
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment: