Moths of North Carolina
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Idia Members:
24 NC Records

Idia scobialis (Grote, 1880) - Smoky Idia Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930478.00 MONA Number: 8330.00
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, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a blackish species with strongly contrasting white lines and spots on both the fore- and hindwings, which are nearly concolorous (Forbes, 1954). In our specimens, narrow white lines are also present on the undersides of the wings and the apex of both the second and third segments of the palps are also marked with white (Hall, pers. obs.).
Wingspan: 22 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].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on dead leaves and other detritus (Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Observation Methods: Comes to bait and to blacklights
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S4
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 scobialis - Smoky Idia Moth

Photos: 10

Recorded by: Tim Foley on 2023-08-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-06-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-01
Stokes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2012-08-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment: