Moths of North Carolina
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683 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 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

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

Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-09-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-09-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-08
Wilkes Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-05
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-18
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-21
Orange Co.
Comment:
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.
Comment:
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.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-25
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-05-16
Orange Co.
Comment: