Moths of North Carolina

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Hypoprepia miniata (Kirby, 1837) - Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Arctiinae

Tribe:
Lithosiini

P3 Number:
930204

MONA Number:
8089.00

Comments: One of four members of this genus in North America, two of which occur in North Carolina. Some populations of both miniata and fucosa show strong departures in size and coloration from the typical patterns and may represent undescribed species (Wagner, 2005).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: Strongly bicolored with scarlet and slate gray longitudinal bands on the wings and on the head, thorax, and abdomen. Usually larger than Hypoprepia fucosa, which is also usually tricolored, with yellow shading in addition to gray and red. Sizes and coloration of both species can vary, however. Some specimens of miniata have yellow or orange in place of the scarlet, but without the tricolored shading. Miniata usually has a broader gray margin on the hindwings and pure scarlet on the thorax, whereas fucosa usually has a narrower stripe on the hindwing and a dark central spot. The abdomen of fucosa is also usually gray (Forbes, 1960).

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

Immatures and Development: Larvae are mottled yellow on black, with a strong mid-dorsal series of dark blotches and long dark spines (Wagner, 2005). Larvae of fucosa are similar but with a smaller amount of yellow.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Probably occurs statewide.

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 distinct flights in the Coastal Plain. The pattern is less clear in the Piedmont and Mountains but there may be only a single, mid-season flight, falling in between the two flights seen in the Coastal Plain.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Habitats include forests and fields (Wagner, 2005). In North Carolina, we have records from a wide range of habitats across the state. It appears to be especially common in maritime forests and scrub and Coastal Fringe Sandhills but also occurs in Longleaf Pine savannas, riparian forests, and both mesic and dry forest in the Piedmont and Mountains.

Larval Host Plants: Hosts are poorly documented, but like most Lithosiines, it probably feeds on lichens, bark algae, and cyanobacteria (Covell, 1984; Wagner, 2005). - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights; none of our records come from bait.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General 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: Although far less common than H. fucosa, this species is nonetheless widely distributed and occupies a broad set of habitats, making it secure in the state

Photo Gallery for Hypoprepia miniata - Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-03 Mitchell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-31 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-20 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-11 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-20 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-25 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-06-13 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22 New Hanover Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-24 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall, Ed Corey, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Tom Howard, Carol Tingley, Brian Bockhahn, and Van Cotter on 2021-09-29 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-22 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2021-07-16 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-06-03 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-07 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-10-02 Onslow Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-29 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-06-08 Onslow Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen and Pat McConnell on 2019-06-04 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-13 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: J.Hovis on 2018-06-15 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Erla Beegle on 2018-06-10 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-05-30 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-05-30 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: j.wyche on 2016-08-31 Gates Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2014-09-20 Warren Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger on 2014-09-17 Rockingham Co. Comment: