Moths of North Carolina
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86 NC Records

Leucanopsis longa (Grote, 1880) - Long-streaked Tussock Moth

Leucanopsis longaLeucanopsis longaLeucanopsis longa
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ArctiinaeTribe: ArctiiniP3 Number: 930376 MONA Number: 8217.00
Comments: One of three species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010) and the only one found in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: (Not included in Forbes, 1960)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Apparently lacking                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Similar in size, wing shape, and yellowish coloration to the Halysidota species but lacking the tessellated bands and green thoracic lines found in those species and possessing a prominent brown longitudinal streak and numerous brown flecks not found in Halysidota. Also similar in color to Pyrrharctia isabella in wing color and speckling, but lacks the red on the legs and abdomen characteristic of that species. Unworn specimens, at least, are easily identified based on photographs, particularly where they show the abdomen.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larval descriptions appear to be unavailable.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Appears to be restricted to the Coastal Plain and the eastern edge of the Piedmont
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: Probably has two distinct flights, one in the spring and early summer, one in the late summer and fall
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Almost all of our records come from fairly wet sites, including freshwater marshes, pond and lake shorelines, riparian forests, peatlands, hillside seepage bogs, and fairly wet Longleaf Pine savannas. One record comes from xeric sandhills habitat but where there were pocosins and bottomland forests located near by.
Larval Host Plants: Probably stenophagous, feeding on a restricted range of wetland graminoid ("wide-bladed marsh grass" according to Covell, 1984). - View
Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights, with up to 11 or 12 being collected in single traps. None of our records come from bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet Grasslands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments: This species is uncommon and somewhat of a habitat specialist. Nonetheless, it occurs in a variety of habitats and across approximately a third of the state; appears to be relatively secure

 Photo Gallery for Leucanopsis longa - Long-streaked Tussock Moth

Photos: 27

Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-17
Lincoln Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Patrick Coin, Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen on 2023-10-28
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-10-06
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-06-18
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-06-13
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-06-13
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-04-29
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-21
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson, Stephen Dunn on 2022-06-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-06-04
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-31
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-28
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2018-06-05
Beaufort Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2016-10-07
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2016-10-07
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2016-09-05
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2013-06-14
Halifax Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2012-06-14
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2010-06-15
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2009-11-19
Camden Co.
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