Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Idia Members: 1011 NC Records

Idia americalis (Guenée, 1854) - American Idia

Idia americalisIdia americalisIdia americalis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Herminiinae		P3 Number:
930469		 MONA Number:
8322.00
Comments: One of eighteen species recorded in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), twelve of which are found in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A moderately small deltoid with a blue-gray ground color, particularly in the basal area and along the costa; the area beyond the reniform may be shaded with yellow or with darker fuscous in some individuals. The lines are dark black and strongly waved or dentate and expanded towards the costa. The orbicular is yellowish and reniform consists of a yellow crescent followed by a reddish-orange patch (Forbes, 1954). A continuous black terminal line exists, followed by a checkered fringe.
Wingspan: 20-30 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: Like aemula and "concisa" (Forbes' subgenus Epizeuxis), americalis has relatively short palps, not reaching the vertex. The third segment is blunt and blade-like with rough hair on the upper surface (Forbes, 1954).
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Occurs statewide
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Idia americalisAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records come from forested habitats, including maritime forests, swamp forests, mesic slopes, and dry ridges. Some also come from open habitats, but usually from areas with forests located nearby.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on dead leaves, detritus, and lichens (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Observation Methods: Comes readily to bait and to blacklights
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests
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:

 Photo Gallery for Idia americalis - American Idia

 273 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-01
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-09-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-12
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-01
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-29
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock on 2025-08-25
Rutherford Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-20
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson, Randy Emmitt on 2025-08-12
Alamance Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-12
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-08-09
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-08-06
Forsyth Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-08
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-06-26
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-07
Moore Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-21
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: David George, Bonnie Eamick on 2025-04-25
Wake Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Idia americalis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-04-14
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Idia americalis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-04-03
Durham Co.
Comment: