Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Cosmosoma Members: 1 NC Records

Cosmosoma myrodora (Dyar, 1907) - Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth

No image for this species.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Arctiinae		Tribe:
Arctiini		P3 Number:
930458		 MONA Number:
8280.00
Comments: One of three species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010) and the only one recorded in our area
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: (Not in Forbes, 1960)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Striking and unmistakable, at least if recognized as a moth rather than a wasp. The legs, thorax, and anterior half of the abdomen are a bright scarlet, with the head and the posterior portion of the abdomen an iridescent, metallic blue-black; wings are mainly wasp-like, being largely transparent with black veins and tips.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are covered with white hair and possess yellowish head and legs (Wagner, 2005).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Only recorded at a single spot along the outer coast
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Cosmosoma myrodoraAlamance 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: Only recorded once, in the fall
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Found once at Jockeys Ridge State Park, where Climbing Hempweed is known to occur (NRID, 2014).
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are monophagous, feeding on Climbing Hempweed (Mikania scandens) (Covell, 1984; Wagner, 2005). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: Diurnally active, feeding on flowers; not known how well it comes to light or bait.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5] SNR [SU]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This very striking, diurnal species is very likely a rare stray in our state up from Florida