Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members:
Lascoria Members:
338 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, GBIF, BOLDTechnical 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. - View
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

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

Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-05-02
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-29
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-30
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-30
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-20
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-03-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-03-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-07
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-18
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-05
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-03
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-31
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-31
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2023-07-22
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-09
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-05-10
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-28
Madison Co.
Comment: