Moths of North Carolina
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Parahypenodes Members:
11 NC Records

Parahypenodes quadralis Barnes & McDunnough, 1918 - Masked Parahypenodes Moth

Parahypenodes quadralisParahypenodes quadralisParahypenodes quadralis
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HypenodinaeP3 Number: 930667 MONA Number: 8430.00
Comments: The sole member of this genus (Forbes, 1954; Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010); restricted to eastern North America.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A small, pale grayish Erebid. The most conspicuous marking is a large, squarish blotch in the outer part of the cell (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian, postmedian, subterminal, and terminal lines are all ash gray and dentate.
Wingspan: 18-20 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: The palpi are large, with the third segment pointed and almost as long as the second. The radial veins of the forewing are simplified, consisting of three separate, simple veins each reaching the costa. The valves of the males are also simplified, lacking a costal process and clasper (Forbes, 1954).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Records come from across the state but with only a few records for each of the main regions; none so far from the High Mountains
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
Flight Comments: All of our records come from the summer
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Most of our records are from wet habitats. In Dare County, this species was found in a stand of Maritime Swamp Forest. In Cherokee County, the specimen was collected in a forested seep. In Ashe County, the record is from a mountain bog. Several of the other records are also from the vicinity of wetlands, including all three of the records from Macon County and the one record from Guilford County. Habitats are not clear in the remaining records.
Larval Host Plants: Not recorded - View
Observation Methods: All of our records come from blacklights but it is unknown how well they actually come to lights in general. BugGuide reports that they also come to bait, but again it is unknown how well.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Wet-Mesic Forests with Seepages/Headwater Streams
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: W3
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 S1S2
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species has long been considered rare (Forbes, 1954), with just scattered records known from most of its range. It may be somewhat of a wetland specialist, but its host plants and range of utilized habitats are unknown. Until more is learned about its exact distribution, habitat associations, and host plants, an accurate assessment of the conservation status of this species cannot be made.

 Photo Gallery for Parahypenodes quadralis - Masked Parahypenodes Moth

Photos: 7

Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-18
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-14
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-14
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-07-24
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-10-08
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2017-05-29
Cabarrus Co.
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