Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Apantesis Members: 82 NC Records

Apantesis nais (Drury, 1773) - Nais Tiger Moth

Apantesis naisApantesis naisApantesis naisApantesis nais
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Arctiinae		Tribe:
Arctiini		P3 Number:
930280		 MONA Number:
8171.00
Comments: The genus Apantesis is represented by 43 species in North America, including 13 species 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); Ferguson (1985)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Ferguson (1985)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Species of Apantesis and Grammia resemble one another, but Apantesis are generally smaller and the the pattern of yellow lines is usually much more reduced, with the median, lower portion of the post-median, and fine vein lines always missing in Apantesis; a good quality photograph showing the forewing pattern is usually enough to distinguish between these genera. However, the hindwings must also be visible to distinguish between the species of Apantesis, and even then only the males can usually be diagnosed; photographs must show the hindwings to be acceptable as records for this genus. (Note: The species formerly in the genus Grammia have been moved to Apantesis).
Apantesis nais is usually somewhat larger and broader-winged than the other species and males are usually identifiable where they possess a solid yellow hindwings with a row of large black spots or a broad band of black in sub-terminal area. A. anna is similar in color, but has a much more complete forewing pattern. A. carlotta has an almost identical pattern but has a much paler shade of yellow on the hindwings and never has a solid band of black in the sub-terminal area (except in females). A. phalerata can also have pale, cream on the hindwings, but has only small, scattered spots in the sub-terminal area. Males can also have hindwings that are largely red or yellowish-red, resembling A. vittata, although the subterminal black band usually broken into large spots in A. nais and more solid in A. vittata. Unfortunately, dissection does not provide a more definitive identification: the features of the valves and aedeagus in A. vittata, A. nais, and A. carlotta are all similar, showing similar patterns of variation. Female A. nais are similar to those of A. phalerata and A. vittata in having a highly reduced set of pale lines on the forewings and broad, confluent black bands in the sub-terminal area of the hindwing. Individuals with bright yellow in the basal and medial area of the hindwings are usually safe to identify as A. nais; female A. carlotta have a paler yellow shade and also have a much more complete set of yellow stripes on the forewings. Females with red hindwings probably cannot be safely distinguished from those of A. phalerata and A. vittata.
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: Larvae of Apantesis are black and covered with brown to black bristles (Forbes, 1960). According to Ferguson (1985), A. nais larvae completely lack the pale mid-dorsal stripe found in the other species, but rearing is probably still necessary for reliable identification.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Appears to be absent over most of the southern Coastal Plain and uncommon in the Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Apantesis naisAlamance 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.