Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Haploa Members: 71 NC Records

Haploa contigua (Walker, 1855) - Neighbor Moth

Haploa contiguaHaploa contiguaHaploa contiguaHaploa contigua
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Arctiinae		Tribe:
Arctiini		P3 Number:
930344		 MONA Number:
8110.00		 Other Common Name:
The Neighbor
Comments: One of six species currently recognized in North America, all of which occur in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: One of four species of Haploa that have all white hindwings. The forewings are white and outlined on all margins with black (usually interrupted at the wing angles). As in lecontei and confusa, a short diagonal line runs from beyond the mid-point on the costa to the inner margin above the anal angle, and is joined by a line that runs from the outer margin just below the apex. Unlike confusa and at least some forms of lecontei, contigua lacks any lines or spurs in the antemedial portion of the forewing. Unlike the paler forms of lecontei, which lack any markings in the antemedial area, the diagonal line running down from the costa is usually much stronger than the one that runs in from the outer margin; in lecontei, the diagonal line may be missing and only the one running in from the outer margin to the inner margin may be present. A good photograph is usually enough to identify this species, although all white forms exist that are essentially indistinguishable from similar forms found in the other species.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: Larvae are yellow and black striped with sparse hair and warts, as is true for several other Haploas (Forbes, 1960; Wagner, 2005). Larvae of contigua can be distinguished by possessing thin, white dorsal and sub-doral lines and by a bold and complete yellow lateral stripe (Wagner, 2005).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: The majority of our records come from the Mountains, where this species appears to be generally distributed. A few records also exist from the Piedmont, including from montane-like habitat at Hanging Rock State Park but also from more typical Piedmont habitats as far east as Wake County. This species may turn out to have a much wider distribution in the Piedmont than is currently known.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Haploa contiguaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.