Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Notodontidae Members:	Datana Members:	114 NC Records

Datana ranaeceps (Guérin-Méneville, 1844) - Post-burn Datana

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Notodontidae

Subfamily:
Phalerinae

P3 Number:
930042

MONA Number:
7911.00

Comments: One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), nine of which have been recorded in North Carolina.

Species Status: Schweitzer et al. (2011) note that there is some taxonomic uncertainty surrounding Datana ranaeceps, with a form found in Florida possibly representing the true ranaeceps and with the form found from North Carolina to New Jersey representing an unnamed species.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Schweitzer et al. (2011)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Schweitzer et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: A moderately large Prominent. The forewings are deep brown to reddish brown and are characteristically heavily frosted with gray, often producing a violaceous sheen (Forbes, 1948). The postmedian line (the outermost complete transverse line) is located approximately one quarter the wing length in from the outer margin, whereas it is located much closer to the outer margin in other species of Datana (Forbes, 1948; Datana robusta also appears to have a wide terminal area).

Wingspan: 45-50 mm (Schweitzer et al., 2011)

Adult Structural Features: Forbes (1948) provides illustrations and a key that separates the eastern species of Datana (except robusta) based on the size and configuration of the pits on the eight sternite and the valves and other structures of the male genitalia. In ranaeceps, the sternite pits are small and usually separated by more than their diameter; the uncus is bifid; and the clasper has only a single, smooth-edged process.

Genitalia and other structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Last instar larvae are distinctively marked (Forbes, 1948): head, cervical shield, legs, and tail end are bright red and the body is black with continuous yellow stripes; D. major is similar in color, but the yellow bands on the body consist of a series of separate spots.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: All recent records come from the Coastal Plain, including the Fall-line Sandhills; historic records from the Piedmont and Mountains need to be confirmed

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: Appears to have two definite flight in North Carolina, in the spring and later in the summer

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Except for two historic records from Brimley (1938), where the habitat is not described, all records in North Carolina come from Longleaf Pine habitats and virtually all from wet savannas, flatwoods, or seepage areas or from peatland ecotones adjacent to Sandhills habitats. These sites all support populations of the heath species that are the host plants used by ranaceps, particularly Lyonia mariana (Weakley, 2015). These habitats also burn on a regular basis, at least under natural conditions, which appears to be a requirement of this species. While other possible host plants, such as Eubotrys racemosus, also occur in peatlands and swamps, we have no records of D. ranaeceps from habitats where fire is much more irregular in its occurence.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on heaths in the genera Lyonia and Eubotrys (= Leucothoe) (Wagner, 2005). Schweitzer et al. (2011) state that Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana) is the primary host used in New Jersey but that Swamp Fetterbush (Eubotrys racemosus) may also be used by late instars and that Vaccinium may also be used when the normal hosts are defoliated. In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan recorded a larva on Lyonia. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights but adults have short mouthparts and may not feed; they have not been recorded at bait or flowers. Larvae are conspicuous, not hiding and often clustered together; in recently burned areas, they may are unlikely to go unnoticed.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Sandy Fire-maintained Shrublands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status: SR

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G3G4 S2S3

State Protection: Listed as Significantly Rare by the Natural Heritage Program. That designation, however, does not confer any legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: While the host plants used by D. ranaeceps are common and widespread in the Coastal Plain, the moth is rarely found outside frequently burned areas: it was found very commonly in the artillery impact areas at Camp Lejeune, most of which burn on an annual basis, but only rarely in less-frequently burned areas. The inference is that this species is a nearly obligate fire-follower -- its larvae feeding primarily on the fresh foliage of plant regenerating immediately following a burn -- and that it has been severely affected by the widespread suppression of wildfires, along with fragmentation of its habitats. Far more than other Longeaf Pine associates - as reduced as they all are by habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation -- this species appears unlikely to persist without careful management of extensive, fire-maintained landscapes.

Photo Gallery for Datana ranaeceps - Post-burn Datana

Photos: 24

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-30 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-06-26 Richmond Co. Comment: Found on Lyonia mariana as 1st instars 5/24. Accepted Vaccinium but strongly preferred Lyonia.
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-06-26 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-06-13 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-06-04 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment: 1st/2nd instars on Lyonia mariana		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-24 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-31 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Rich Teper on 2021-05-31 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-11 Scotland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-10 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-10 Scotland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Laura Hamon on 2021-04-21 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: N. Williamson, M. Prinz, E. Conway on 2020-08-12 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2016-04-28 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: E. Corey, T. DeSantis on 2012-04-17 Onslow Co. Comment:		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2010-06-07 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2010-06-07 Carteret Co. Comment: Larva on Lyonia		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2010-06-07 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: E. Corey, C. Helms, M. Flanagan on 2006-10-12 Columbus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: SPH on 2002-07-17 Cumberland Co. Comment: