Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Idia Members: 1057 NC Records

Idia aemula Hübner, 1814 - Common Idia

Idia aemulaIdia aemulaIdia aemulaIdia aemula
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Herminiinae		P3 Number:
930471		 MONA Number:
8323.00		 Other Common Name:
Waved Tabby
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, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Rings et al. (1992)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A moderately small deltoid, similar in size to Idia americalis but more evenly shaded with smoky to yellowish-gray and not paler towards the base or along the costa. Lines are darker but not as heavy as in americalis. Both the orbicular and reniform are usually contrastingly pale yellow, although in some individuals the spots can be blackish and much darker than the ground color. The terminal line is broken into a series of spots, unlike the continuous line found in americalis (Forbes, 1954). Aemula is similar in pattern and forewing color to Idia "concisa" but has a more fuscous hindwing that is nearly concolorous with the forewing (Forbes, 1954). The median band of the forewing is also usually more diffuse in aemula than in "concisa" (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010).
Wingspan: 20-30 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: Like americalis and "concisa", aemula has relatively short palps, not reaching the vertex (Forbes' subgenus Epizeuxis). The third segment is blunt and blade-like with rough hair on the upper surface (Forbes, 1954).
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Idia aemulaAlamance 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.
Immature 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: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This one of our most ubiquitous species, occurring virtually all habitats found across the state.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae are probably generalized detritivores, feeding on dead leaves, fungi, and other organic matter (Forbes, 1954; Wagner et al., 2011). Individuals have been found in the nests of squirrels, mice, and hornets, and in earthball fungi (Wagner et al., 2011). They appear to commonly skeletonize dead leaves, but the caterpillars have rarely been found in the wild. John Petranka successfully reared an adult from Orange County. The larva was one of several that were found in what appeared to be a squirrel nest that had fallen from a tree. The leaves inside were heavily skeletonized and the larva fed to some extent on dead oak leaves before pupating. - View
Observation Methods: Comes well to both black lights and bait. Even though the adults are common in many areas of the state, the L=larvae have only rarely been observed in the wild (Wagner, et al., 2011).
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields
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 aemula - Common Idia

 477 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-01
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-09-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2025-09-27
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-12
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Larry Chen, Sarah Toner on 2025-09-06
Beaufort Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock on 2025-08-25
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Michael P Morales on 2025-08-19
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-16
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-12
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-27
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-19
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-07
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-06
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-07-04
Wake Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-07-03
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: David George, David Cheng, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: David George, David Bradley, Becky Watkins, David Cheng, Michelle Lotker, Tracy Feldman, et al. on 2025-06-28
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Bassinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-25
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Idia aemula
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Idia aemula
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19
Brunswick Co.
Comment: