Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« Home »
View PDFErebidae Members: Virbia Members: 565 NC Records

Virbia opella (Grote, 1863) - Tawny Virbia

Virbia opellaVirbia opellaVirbia opellaVirbia opella
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Arctiinae		Tribe:
Arctiini		P3 Number:
930336.55		 MONA Number:
8118.00		 MONA Synonym:
Holomelina opella		Other Common Name:
Tawny Holomelina Moth
Comments: One of fourteen species in North America, five of which occur in North Carolina. In addition to the nominate form, Brimley (1938) listed V. opella nigricans as occurring in North Carolina. However, this record probably refers to what is now regarded as just a black-winged form of opella (as described by Forbes, 1960). Virbia nigricans currently refers to a species that is found only in a small area of New Jersey and Pennsylvania (see Zaspel et al., 2008).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Holomelina opella); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960); Zaspel et al. (2008)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Virbia opella is similar to several other orange-brown Virbias, but is generally larger and duskier. Fore-wings range from ochre- to blackish-yellow in males; females are usually cinnamon brown and have a vague, crescent-shaped discal spot. Hind-wings in the male usually are brown, similar in color to the forewings or darker. Hind-wings in the female usually have some reddish or pinkish and a variable amount of fuscous or black, including a diffuse discal spot, but the markings are not as sharply defined as in some of the other species. Specimens may be identifiable from photographs -- especially the males -- if the hindwings are visible. Males can also be identified on the basis of their genitalia (see Forbes, 1960 and Zaspel et al., 2008). Both sexes can be distinguished from aurantiaca and ferruginosa by their forewing venation (see Zaspel et al., 2008).
Forewing Length: 11 mm, males; 12 mm, females (Zaspel et al., 2008)
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: A larva described by Forbes (1960) was dull gray with black spines; the head was black with a brown front. Given the lack of information on Virbia larvae, rearing to adulthood is needed to confirm their identities.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably occurs statewide
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Virbia opellaAlamance 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%20Hanover 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.
Flight Comments: Has two flights in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont but apparently just one mid-season flight in the Mountains
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Virtually ubiquitous. Our records come from nearly all types of habitats in the state, including open beach dunes, Longleaf Pine habitats, and barrens, as well as densely wooded peatlands, riparian hardwoods, and both dry and mesic uplands.
Larval Host Plants: Host plant use has apparently not been observed in the wild, but the species probably feeds on low forbs, as reported for other members of this genus (see Forbes, 1960 and Wagner, 2005). - View
Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights, with up to 45 collected in a single trap. Adults do not feed, so do not come to bait. Most Virbia can be flushed from their habitats during the day, indicating they are at least partially diurnal (Zaspel et al., 2008)
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Mixed Habitats
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: Given its abundance, widespread distribution, and generalized habitat use, this species appears to be one of our most secure species.

 Photo Gallery for Virbia opella - Tawny Virbia

 101 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-14
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Chuck Smith on 2025-04-16
Bladen Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kenneth Geisert, David Bradley, Julie Tuttle, Patrick Coin, Kaitlyn Elliott, Becky Watkins on 2024-08-17
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-06
Graham Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-31
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-31
Madison Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-24
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-24
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Stephen Hall, David George, and David Bradley on 2024-05-07
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-29
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-29
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-09-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-09-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-14
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-14
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-11
Orange Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-07
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-09-05
Orange Co.
Comment:
Virbia opellaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Virbia opellaRecorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-24
Davidson Co.
Comment: