Moths of North Carolina
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Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFErebidae Members: Idia Members: 31 NC Records

Idia scobialis (Grote, 1880) - Smoky Idia

Idia scobialisIdia scobialisIdia scobialisIdia scobialis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Herminiinae		P3 Number:
930478		 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 Resources: 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).
Genitalia and other 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 scobialisAlamance 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 Hanover 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:
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 SNR [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

Photos: 17
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-06-18
Graham Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Tim Foley on 2023-08-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-06-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-01
Stokes Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2012-08-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment: 		Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment:
Idia scobialis
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2011-08-02
Randolph Co.
Comment: