Moths of North Carolina
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668 NC Records

Idia rotundalis (Walker, 1866) - Rotund Idia Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930474.00 MONA Number: 8326.00
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 Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Rings et al. (1992)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A relatively small glossy black or dark umber deltoid; wingspan = 20 mm (Forbes, 1954). Lines on the forewing are obscure, if visible at all, with no conspicuous white marks on the costa and usually no white or just a small amount of gray showing at the orbicular or reniform. The undersides of the hindwings are also fairly dark, with only obscure lines showing; in both julia and forbesii, the hindwing undersides are paler and crossed by more obvious dark lines (Rings et al., 1992).
Wingspan: 20 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: Belongs to Forbes' subgenus Pseudaglossa, characterized by long palps -- reaching the vertex -- and with the third segement very long, conical, and smoothly scaled (Forbes, 1954).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: Larvae are pale gray with peg-like setae similar to those of other species of Idia; the proleg on A3 is reduced and lacks crochets (Wagner et al., 2011).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Found statewide, from the Barrier Islands to the High Mountains
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: Adults are present throughout the growing season with two peaks in activity occurring in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Occupies nearly all habitats found in North Carolina, with the possible exception of maritime dunes.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are probably generalized detritivores, feeding on dead leaves, fungi, and other organic matter (Forbes, 1954; Wagner et al., 2011).
Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights, sometimes abundantly. Also comes at least occasionally to bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Idia rotundalis is one of our most common and ubiquitous species and appears to be quite secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Idia rotundalis - Rotund Idia Moth

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

Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-22
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-21
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-17
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, Chuck Smith on 2023-05-12
Bladen Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-08
Alleghany Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-06-19
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2022-05-31
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-27
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-05-27
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-22
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-03
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-08-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-25
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-25
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-05-16
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-01
Stokes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-13
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Amanda Auxier on 2017-08-27
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Amanda Auxier on 2017-08-25
Pender Co.
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Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2017-06-23
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall and Ed Corey on 2016-10-01
Bladen Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-09-29
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2015-08-11
Cherokee Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2015-08-11
Cherokee Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf on 2015-06-05
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2014-09-17
Vance Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger on 2014-09-12
Rockingham Co.
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Recorded by: Britta Muiznieks on 2014-05-21
Dare Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Britta Muiznieks on 2014-05-16
Dare Co.
Comment: