Moths of North Carolina
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304 NC Records

Renia fraternalis Smith, 1895 - Fraternal Renia Moth

Renia fraternalis
view caption 		Renia fraternalis
view caption 		Renia fraternalis
view caption 		Renia fraternalis
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930537 MONA Number: 8385.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The head, thorax, and ground color of the forewings are pale luteous gray in males and yellowish red-brown in females (Smith, 1895). The markings in the males are usually distinct but in females only the subterminal may be clearly defined. The antemedian is single, black, and irregularly excurved. The postmedian is black and finely crenulated or punctiform; its course is usually parallel to the outer margin. The subterminal line is punctiform, consisting of a series of white spots located within an area shaded with dark brown or lead gray. The terminal lines consists of black dots and a dark median shade may be present. The orbicular is a small yellow dot (sometimes missing) and the reniform is a narrow yellow bar containing two black dots. Males may be darker and grayer than in salusalis but the females appear to indistinguishable from that species. Fraternalis is best distinguished from salusalis by the palps of the males (see Structural Features below).
Wingspan: 23-27 mm (Smith, 1895)
Adult Structural Features: As in other members of this genus, males can be distinguished by their possession of a tuft on the antennae; in this species, the tuft is located about 2/3 out from the base with the shaft beyond it fairly straight. Both males and females of this species have long, straight palps that project forward from the head; the second segment has a tuft of long scales located on the dorsal surface and the third segment is slender (Forbes, 1954). Males can be separated from salusalis based on this character; in male salusalis, the palps of the males are very short, with a plume on the inner side of the second segment and with the third being short and blunt (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: The vast majority of our records for this species come from dry-xeric woodlands and scrub, including maritime forests and dunes and pine-oak sandridges. A few records come from more mesic sites, including savannas, flatwoods, and bottomland forests, but in most of these cases, drier woodlands are located nearby.
Larval Host Plants: Feeds on dead leaves and other detritus (Robinson et al., 2010) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Dry-Xeric Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 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 fraternalis - Fraternal Renia Moth

Photos: 11

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-03
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-20
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-17
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-06-13
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2016-04-11
Hoke Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2013-06-04
Bladen Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 1995-09-28
Pender Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 1995-09-27
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: SPH on 1995-04-26
Onslow Co.
Comment: Female