Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFErebidae Members:
Hypoprepia Members:
872 NC Records

Hypoprepia fucosa Hübner, [1831] - Painted Lichen Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ArctiinaeTribe: LithosiiniP3 Number: 930205.00 MONA Number: 8090.00
Comments: One of four members of this genus in North America, two of which occur in North Carolina. Some populations of both fucosa and miniata 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 Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Tricolored, with bands of red, yellow, and slate gray bands on the forewings; the head is also usually yellowish, the thorax red with a central spot of gray, and the abdomen mostly gray; hindwings are usually pale pink with an outward border of gray. Smaller but similar in pattern to H. miniata, which is usually more strongly bicolored with scarlet and gray. Sizes and coloration of both species can vary, however, with some specimens having the tricolored pattern of fucosa as large as typical miniata. Fucosa usually has a narrower gray margin on the hindwings and miniata usually lacks the dark central spot on the thorax; the abdomen of miniata is also usually red (Forbes, 1960).
Wingspan: 25-35 mm (Forbes, 1960)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are mottled yellow on black, with strong black spines; the amount of yellow is usually reduced in fucosa compared to miniata (Wagner, 2005).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: 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