Moths of North Carolina
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Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Erebidae Members:
Abablemma brimleyana
Allotria elonympha
Amolita fessa
Amolita obliqua
Amolita roseola
Amolita unidentified species
Anomis editrix
Anomis erosa
Anomis flava
Anomis illita
Anticarsia gemmatalis
Apantesis anna
Apantesis arge
Apantesis carlotta
Apantesis doris
Apantesis figurata
Apantesis nais
Apantesis parthenice
Apantesis phalerata
Apantesis phyllira
Apantesis placentia
Apantesis unidentified species
Apantesis virgo
Apantesis virguncula
Apantesis vittata
Arctia caja
Arctia parthenos
Argyrostrotis anilis
Argyrostrotis deleta
Argyrostrotis erasa
Argyrostrotis flavistriaria
Argyrostrotis quadrifilaris
Argyrostrotis sylvarum
Arugisa latiorella
Arugisa lutea
Arugisa unidentified species
Ascalapha odorata
Bleptina caradrinalis
Bleptina inferior
Bleptina sangamonia
Caenurgia chloropha
Caenurgia unidentified species
Caenurgina crassiuscula
Caenurgina erechtea
Caenurgina unidentified species
Calyptra canadensis
Catocala abbreviatella
Catocala aestivalia
Catocala agrippina
Catocala alabamae
Catocala amatrix
Catocala amestris
Catocala amica
Catocala amica complex
Catocala andromedae
Catocala angusi
Catocala blandula
Catocala cara
Catocala carissima
Catocala cerogama
Catocala clintonii
Catocala coccinata
Catocala concumbens
Catocala connubialis
Catocala consors
Catocala crataegi
Catocala dejecta
Catocala dulciola
Catocala epione
Catocala flebilis
Catocala gracilis
Catocala grisatra
Catocala grynea
Catocala habilis
Catocala herodias
Catocala ilia
Catocala ilia-umbrosa
Catocala illecta
Catocala innubens
Catocala insolabilis
Catocala jair
Catocala judith
Catocala lacrymosa
Catocala lincolnana
Catocala lineella
Catocala louiseae
Catocala luctuosa
Catocala maestosa
Catocala marmorata
Catocala messalina
Catocala micronympha
Catocala minuta
Catocala mira
Catocala miranda
Catocala muliercula
Catocala myristica
Catocala nebulosa
Catocala neogama
Catocala obscura
Catocala orba
Catocala palaeogama
Catocala piatrix
Catocala praeclara
Catocala pretiosa
Catocala residua
Catocala retecta
Catocala robinsonii
Catocala sappho
Catocala serena
Catocala similis
Catocala sordida
Catocala subnata
Catocala ulalume
Catocala ultronia
Catocala umbrosa
Catocala unidentified species
Catocala unijuga
Catocala vidua
Celiptera frustulum
Chytolita morbidalis
Chytolita sp. 1
Chytolita sp. 2
Chytolita unidentified species
Cisseps fulvicollis
Cissusa spadix
Cisthene kentuckiensis
Cisthene packardii
Cisthene plumbea
Cisthene subjecta
Cisthene tenuifascia
Clemensia albata
Clemensia ochreata
Clemensia umbrata
Clemensia unidentified species
Colobochyla interpuncta
Cosmosoma myrodora
Crambidia casta
Crambidia lithosioides
Crambidia new species (minute)
Crambidia pallida
Crambidia pura
Crambidia unidentified species
Crambidia uniformis
Crambidia xanthocorpa
Cutina albopunctella
Cutina aluticolor
Cutina arcuata
Cutina distincta
Cycnia collaris
Cycnia oregonensis
Cycnia tenera
Cycnia unidentified species
Dasychira atrivenosa
Dasychira basiflava
Dasychira dorsipennata
Dasychira leucophaea
Dasychira manto
Dasychira meridionalis
Dasychira obliquata
Dasychira plagiata
Dasychira tephra
Dasychira unidentified species
Dasychira vagans
Dinumma deponens
Doryodes bistrialis
Doryodes fusselli
Doryodes spadaria
Doryodes unidentified species
Drasteria grandirena
Drasteria graphica
Dyspyralis illocata
Dyspyralis nigellus
Dyspyralis ocala
Dyspyralis puncticosta
Ephyrodes cacata
Estigmene acrea
Eublemma minima
Eublemma recta
Euchaetes egle
Euclidia cuspidea
Euparthenos nubilis
Gabara distema
Gabara obscura
Gabara pulverosalis
Gabara subnivosella
Gabara unidentified species
Gondysia consobrina
Gondysia similis
Gondysia smithii
Gondysia telma
Gondysia unidentified species
Halysidota cinctipes
Halysidota harrisii
Halysidota tessellaris
Halysidota unidentified species
Haploa clymene
Haploa colona
Haploa confusa
Haploa contigua
Haploa lecontei
Haploa reversa
Haploa unidentified species
Hemeroplanis habitalis
Hemeroplanis new species 1 nr. obliqualis
Hemeroplanis scopulepes
Herminiinae unidentified species
Hormoschista latipalpis
Hypena abalienalis
Hypena appalachiensis
Hypena baltimoralis
Hypena bijugalis
Hypena deceptalis
Hypena degesalis
Hypena edictalis
Hypena eductalis
Hypena humuli
Hypena madefactalis
Hypena manalis
Hypena minualis
Hypena palparia
Hypena ramstadtii
Hypena scabra
Hypena sordidula
Hypena unidentified species
Hypenodes caducus
Hypenodes fractilinea
Hypenodes franclemonti
Hypenopsis calusa
Hypenula cacuminalis
Hypercompe scribonia
Hyperstrotia aetheria
Hyperstrotia flaviguttata
Hyperstrotia nana
Hyperstrotia pervertens
Hyperstrotia secta
Hyperstrotia unidentified species
Hyperstrotia villificans
Hyphantria cunea
Hypocala andremona
Hypoprepia fucosa
Hypoprepia miniata
Hypsoropha hormos
Hypsoropha monilis
Idia aemula
Idia americalis
Idia concisa of authors
Idia denticulalis
Idia diminuendis
Idia forbesii
Idia julia
Idia laurentii
Idia lubricalis
Idia majoralis
Idia rotundalis
Idia scobialis
Idia unidentified species
Isogona tenuis
Lascoria ambigualis
Ledaea perditalis
Lesmone detrahens
Leucanopsis longa
Litoprosopus futilis
Lophocampa caryae
Lophocampa maculata
Lycomorpha pholus
Lymantria dispar
Macrochilo absorptalis
Macrochilo hypocritalis
Macrochilo litophora
Macrochilo louisiana
Macrochilo orciferalis
Macrochilo santerivalis
Manulea bicolor
Melanomma auricinctaria
Melipotis fasciolaris
Melipotis indomita
Melipotis jucunda
Metalectra albilinea
Metalectra diabolica
Metalectra discalis
Metalectra quadrisignata
Metalectra richardsi
Metalectra tantillus
Metallata absumens
Metria amella
Mocis latipes
Mocis marcida
Mocis texana
Mocis unidentified species
Neoplynes eudora
Nigetia formosalis
Orgyia antiqua
Orgyia definita
Orgyia detrita
Orgyia leucostigma
Orgyia unidentified species
Oruza albocostaliata
Oxycilla malaca
Oxycilla mitographa
Pagara simplex
Palthis angulalis
Palthis asopialis
Palthis unidentified species
Pangrapta decoralis
Pangrapta unidentified species
Panopoda carneicosta
Panopoda repanda
Panopoda rufimargo
Panopoda unidentified species
Parahypenodes quadralis
Parallelia bistriaris
Phalaenophana pyramusalis
Phalaenostola eumelusalis
Phalaenostola larentioides
Phalaenostola metonalis
Phoberia atomaris
Phoberia ingenua
Phoberia unidentified species
Phyprosopus callitrichoides
Phytometra rhodarialis
Phytometra unidentified species
Plusiodonta compressipalpis
Pseudanthracia coracias
Ptichodis bistrigata
Ptichodis herbarum
Ptichodis vinculum
Pygarctia abdominalis
Pyrrharctia isabella
Redectis pygmaea
Redectis vitrea
Renia adspergillus
Renia discoloralis
Renia factiosalis
Renia flavipunctalis
Renia fraternalis
Renia nemoralis
Renia new species near discoloralis
Renia salusalis
Renia salusalis-fraternalis
Renia sobrialis
Renia unidentified species
Rivula propinqualis
Rivula stepheni
Rusicada privata
Scolecocampa liburna
Scoliopteryx libatrix
Selenisa sueroides
Sigela basipunctaria
Sigela brauneata
Sigela penumbrata
Sigela rosea
Simplicia cornicalis
Spargaloma sexpunctata
Spiloloma lunilinea
Spilosoma congrua
Spilosoma dubia
Spilosoma latipennis
Spilosoma unidentified species
Spilosoma virginica
Tetanolita floridana
Tetanolita mynesalis
Thysania zenobia
Utetheisa ornatrix
Virbia aurantiaca
Virbia ferruginosa
Virbia laeta
Virbia opella
Virbia rubicundaria
Virbia unidentified species
Zale aeruginosa
Zale bethunei
Zale buchholzi
Zale calycanthata
Zale confusa
Zale curema
Zale declarans
Zale duplicata
Zale fictilis
Zale galbanata
Zale helata
Zale horrida
Zale intenta
Zale intenta/lunifera
Zale lunata
Zale lunifera
Zale metata
Zale metatoides
Zale minerea
Zale new species near buchholzi
Zale obliqua
Zale phaeocapna
Zale pine-feeding complex
Zale squamularis
Zale submediana
Zale undularis
Zale unidentified species
Zale unilineata
Zanclognatha atrilineella
Zanclognatha cruralis
Zanclognatha dentata
Zanclognatha jacchusalis
Zanclognatha laevigata
Zanclognatha lituralis
Zanclognatha marcidilinea
Zanclognatha martha
Zanclognatha minoralis
Zanclognatha obscuripennis
Zanclognatha pedipilalis
Zanclognatha protumnusalis
Zanclognatha theralis
Zanclognatha theralis complex
Zanclognatha unidentified species
Apantesis
Members:
Apantesis anna
Apantesis arge
Apantesis carlotta
Apantesis doris
Apantesis figurata
Apantesis nais
Apantesis parthenice
Apantesis phalerata
Apantesis phyllira
Apantesis placentia
Apantesis unidentified species
Apantesis virgo
Apantesis virguncula
Apantesis vittata
27 NC Records
Apantesis placentia
(Smith, 1797) - Placentia Tiger Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea
Family:
Erebidae
Subfamily:
Arctiinae
Tribe:
Arctiini
P3 Number:
930243.00
MONA Number:
8191.00
MONA Synonym:
Grammia placentia
Comments:
The genus
Apantesis
is represented by 43 species in North America, including 13 species in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984)
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes (1960); Schmidt (2009)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Forbes (1960)
Adult Markings:
A medium-sized, broad-winged, and boldly marked Tiger Moth that is fairly easily identified based on good quality photographs showing both the fore- and hindwings. Strongly sexually dimorphic. Fore-wings in the females are nearly all black with just a few small white spots; hindwings are crimson with a prominent black medial spot and a thin, usually broken subterminal black band. Fore-wings in the males are similar to those of A. phyllira and A. figurata, lacking vein lines but possessing well developed broad yellow stripes: a longitudinal sub-cubital band (following the terminology of Schmidt, 2009), intersected by a straight medial line and a slightly curved post-medial line and followed by a zig-zag sub-terminal band; broad lines are also present along the costa and inner margins. Males can be distinguished from A. phyllira, which have a similar fore- and hindwing patterns in both sexes, by their medial line intersecting the costa at a right angle and the sub-cubital at an acute angle; in A. phyllira, the medial line is somewhat bent and intersects the costa at an acute angle but is nearly perpendicular to the sub-cubital stripe (Forbes, 1960; Covell, 1984). Schmidt states that the distance between the costal junctions of the medial and post-medial lines is 3-4x the distance between the junctions of these lines with the sub-cubital; in phyllira, the costal distance is only about 2x the sub-cubital distance. Schmidt also notes that the last abdominal segment is entirely dark in A. placentia, but black and pale in A. phyllira.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development:
Larvae are black with dark bristles and possess a beaded mid-dorsal stripe, consisting of two dots per segment or single dumbell-shaped dots located near the front of the segments (Forbes, 1960). Apantesis larvae are generally similar to one another, however (Wagner, 2005), and should be reared in order to determine their identity.
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Forbes (1960) stated that almost all specimens known at that time came from Southern Pines. Our records are certainly consistent with a concentration of occurrences in that area, although we have at least one record from the Outer Coastal Plain and recently one from the eastern edge of the Piedmont was added.
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
Flight Comments:
Forbes (1960) thought placentia probably had two flights. Our data are consistent with both a spring and summer flight, but possibly with three peaks in activity
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Schmidt (2009) states that "placentia occurs in dry, sandy open wooded areas, primarily pine barrens of the Atlantic coastal plain"; in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, it is described as being "rare and local in occurrence" (D. Schweitzer, cited by Schmidt, 2009). Our data agree with this description: with one recent exception from Warren County, all of our records come from Longleaf Pine sandhill habitats. Moreover, the majority of these records are associated with Sandhills Seepage Bog habitats, which are highly localized. These habitats, however, are wetlands rather than xeric barrens. Unlike the more xeric habitats that surround them, these seeps support particularly rich assemblages of herbaceous plants, including many species of Dicots, and would seem likely places to find a highly localized species of Grammia. The one site where this species has been recorded in the Outer Coastal Plain, however, does not conform to this model: the site is very xeric with no savanna or other wet Longleaf habitats located close by. The general lack of records from Longleaf Pine savannas is also puzzling, since species that use seepage habitats in the Fall-line Sandhills usually also occur in savannas -- also rich in herbaceous species -- in the Outer Coastal Plain. The habitat used in the one Piedmont record we have for this species is unknown, but no Longleaf communities are believed to exist within the area, nor other xeric or fire-maintained pine barrens.
Larval Host Plants:
Members of this genus are highly polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of herbaceous plants, with Dicots possibly preferred (Schmidt, 2009). -
View
Observation Methods:
Appears to come moderately well to blacklights, with up to nine individuals being collected in a single trap. The mouthparts are non-functional (Singer, 2000, cited in Schmidt, 2009), so it does not come to bait.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
SR
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
G3G4 S2S3
State Protection:
Listed as Significantly Rare by the Natural Heritage Program. That designation, however, does not confer any legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:
This species appears to be highly specialized on Longleaf Pine habitats, which have lost over 90% of their range over the past two hundred years and continue to do so due to habitat conversion and suppression of natural fires. Fire suppression has particularly affected the rich herb layer associated with savannas and sandhill seeps -- without fire, these herb-rich areas are quickly overtopped by shrubs and eventually hardwood trees, completely shading out low-growing species such as carnivorous plants, orchids, grasses, and other sun-loving herbs. If Grammia placentia is especially associated with sandhill seeps, it is likely to be in particular jeopardy: outside of Fort Bragg, only small remnants of seepage habitats remain over most of the Fall-line Sandhills region (Hall, 2009), and even formerly widespread seepage insect such as the Pitcher Plant moths (Exyra sp.) are increasingly hard to find. Although pockets of good quality habitats remain, the majority have been reduced to increasingly small, increasingly isolated remnants that apparently can no longer support the metapopulation strategy used by most of their Lepidopteran species to cope with frequent fire -- recolonization through dispersal between habitat units and the buildup of numbers within those patches needed to support and drive emigration no longer function within this increasingly fragmented landscape.
Photo Gallery for
Apantesis placentia
- Placentia Tiger Moth
Photos: 5
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-09
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2016-04-28
Harnett Co.
Comment: Female. Wingspan = 4.7 cm; forewing length = 2.2 cm
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-05-25
Warren Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-05-25
Warren Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: ASH on 2008-06-02
Moore Co.
Comment: