Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« Home »
View PDFErebidae Members: Renia Members: 283 NC Records

Renia discoloralis Guenée, 1854 - Discolored Renia

Renia discoloralisRenia discoloralisRenia discoloralisRenia discoloralis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Herminiinae		P3 Number:
930532		 MONA Number:
8381.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is the largest of our species of Renia. The pattern is extremely variable, with the coloration ranging from fairly uniform to strongly contrasting. In the contrasting form, the median and subterminal areas are dark brown with the basal, postmedian, and marginal areas pale yellowish (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian and postmedian lines are dark, excurved and strongly scalloped. The subterminal is pale and irregular, with inward bends opposite the cell and in the fold with outward bulges in between; sometimes represented by a series of dots. The orbicular is a small, pale dot. The reniform is yellowish and contrasting with two darker dots that are sometimes fused. In melanic forms, the forewings are dark brown with the lines and spots obscure. The hindwings are fuscous with a dark postmedian and paler subterminal. The undescribed species near discoloralis is very similar and size measurements are useful in separating the two. All other members of this genus are even smaller.
Wingspan: 35 - 45 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: In males, the shaft of the antenna before the tuft is usually 7 mm long, with the portion after the tuft only 3 mm long. The apex of the forewing is somewhat falcate; the outer margin is oblique.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Renia discoloralisAlamance 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.
Flight Comments: Adults fly mainly in July and August, in between the flights of the undescribed species.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come almost entirely from hardwood forests, and mostly from wet to mesic stands.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on dead leaves and other detritus (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Observation Methods: Comes to blacklights and probably also to bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Renia discoloralis - Discolored Renia

 130 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-14
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-10-09
Durham Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-17
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-08-20
Madison Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-08-17
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-07-31
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-07-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-07-19
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-29
Durham Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-09-24
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-02
Madison Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-22
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-14
Graham Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-07
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-09
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-09
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-07
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-06-07
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Regina Patton on 2024-06-06
Jackson Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Renia discoloralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: