Moths of North Carolina
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Lascoria Members:
295 NC Records

Lascoria ambigualis Walker, 1866 - Ambiguous Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930547.00 MONA Number: 8393.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIFTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Males are easy to identify based on the notch they possess on the outer margin of the forewing. Females, however, can be difficult to distinguish from both males and females of Phalaenophana pyramusalis. Differences in the color of the spots is one usually reliable way to separate the two: in Lascoria, the orbicular and reniform are white or cream-colored; in Phalaenophana, they are black.
Wingspan: 23 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
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: Wagner et al. (2011) describe its habitats as including shrubby fields, woodlands, and forests. Our records span the entire range of habitats in North Carolina, from maritime dunes, bottomlands, swamps, savannas, sandridges, peatlands, mesic hardwoods, xeric woodlands, and high elevation summits.
Larval Host Plants: Highly polyphagous, feeding on both dead and living plants. Wagner et al. (2011), including graminoids, forbs, and hardwood shrubs.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Mixed Habitats
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:

 Photo Gallery for Lascoria ambigualis - Ambiguous Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-03
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-25
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-09
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-15
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L.M. Carlson, Becky Watkins on 2022-05-02
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-03-30
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-03-30
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-03-28
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-03-22
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-03-06
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-24
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-09-24
Johnston Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-09-19
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-09-19
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-09-19
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-08-08
Sampson Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-08-08
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-08-08
Sampson Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-06
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-17
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-31
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-18
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-17
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-05-16
Durham Co.
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