Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Apantesis Members:	86 NC Records

Apantesis parthenice (Kirby, 1837) - Parthenice Tiger Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Arctiinae

Tribe:
Arctiini

P3 Number:
930246

MONA Number:
8196.00

MONA Synonym:
Grammia parthenice

Comments: The genus Apantesis is represented by 43 species in North America, including 13 species in North Carolina. The form occurring in North Carolina has long been considered to represent subspecies intermedia, which is much larger than the nominate subspecies occurring in the northern plains and boreal areas. However, Schmidt (2009) stated that more work would be needed to see if Southeastern populations are actually the same as those from Texas, where intermedia was originally described.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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 boldly marked Tiger Moth, second in size only to A. virgo among our species. Easily recognizable from a good quality photograph where both the hindwings and forewings are in view. The hindwings are usually red or pink (rarely yellow) and have a row of black spots located along the outer margin but lacks the ante-medial spots characteristic of virgo. The forewings are black with both narrow yellow lines along the veins and a set of broader yellow bands running longitudinally and transversely. This pattern is similar to that of A. virgo and A. anna but the post-median (terminology following Schmidt, 2009) is strongly bent at the midpoint in those species but is only slightly bent, if at all, in A. parthenice.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Forbes (1960) describes the larvae as wholly black or with some brown hair or a pale dorsal line. Apantesis larvae are generally similar to one another (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: Probably occurs statewide except possibly on the Outer Banks and other barrier islands

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: Has one primary flight in September but with at least one specimen collected in May in the Coastal Plain. Overlaps but is usually later than A. virgo.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Schmidt (2009) states that A. parthenice is one of the most widespread species in this genus and occupies a wide range of habitats, from "rich deciduous forests to the grasslands of the Great Plains, preferring mesic meadows, pastures, and edges of wetlands." Our records come primarily from hardwood forests, with most from mesic or bottomland habitats. Records from barrier islands and peatlands are lacking and we have only a small number from Longleaf Pine habitats, usually where there are stands of hardwoods located in nearby stream bottoms.

Larval Host Plants: Members of this genus are highly polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of herbaceous plants, with dicots possibly preferred (Schmidt, 2009). Reported hosts include Lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album), plantain (Plantago), Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), and New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) (Tietz, 1972). - View

Observation Methods: Comes fairly well to blacklights, but usually in small numbers. The adult mouthparts are non-functional (Singer, 2000, cited in Schmidt, 2009), so they do not come to bait.

Wikipedia

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: Occurs across most of the state and occupies a wide range of habitats; appears to be fairly secure.

Photo Gallery for Apantesis parthenice - Parthenice Tiger Moth

54 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-24 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-09-22 Davidson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-22 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2024-09-20 Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-20 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2023-09-25 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-20 Polk Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-11 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-10 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-10-05 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall, and Bo Sullivan. on 2022-09-27 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-26 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-21 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2022-09-21 Davidson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2022-09-21 Davidson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-09-28 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-09-26 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-09-26 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-15 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-15 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Glenney, NEW on 2020-10-04 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Glenney, NEW on 2020-10-04 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-12 Madison Co. Comment: