Moths of North Carolina
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Abablemma Members:
83 NC Records

Abablemma brimleyana (Dyar, 1914) - Brimley's Halfling


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ScoleocampinaeP3 Number: 930651.00 MONA Number: 8437.00
Comments: Placed in the Hypenodinae by Wagner et al. (2011) based on larval characteristics and diet.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes, 1923-60; Pogue, 2012Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al., 2011                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Melanomma auricinctaria is similar in size and also has a conspicuous dark reniform spot. It differs in possessing a gold band that borders the outside of the reniform and a "pupil" of the same color located within the reniform. A. brimleyana also has a pattern of fine dark striations over the middle and basal portions of its forewing which is missing in auricinctaria.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Most of our records come from the coastal plain and southern Piedmont.
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: Local populations appear to have both a spring and late-summer brood. As of 2022, our records are from late-April through early-May and from mid-August to mid-September.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Sometimes common in dry to xeric woodlands (Wagner et al., 2011). In NC, this species has been recorded in very xeric sandhills, as well as maritime forests and Piedmont monadnock forests. However, it has also been recorded in wet-to-mesic peatlands and longleaf pine savannas.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae reportedly feed on lichens and algae, and have been reared in captivity on Protococcus (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: Typically only a few specimens are collected on any one night in 15 w UV bucket traps, although 51 were collected in a sample from a white cedar stand in Dare County.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] 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 Abablemma brimleyana - Brimley's Halfling

Photos: 16

Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-05-22
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-25
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-08-18
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-06-09
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-29
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2022-05-27
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-08-22
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-07-29
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-11-05
Onslow Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-08-12
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Britta Muiznieks on 2013-09-05
Dare Co.
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Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2013-06-08
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2013-06-04
Bladen Co.
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Recorded by: Newman, Randy on 2005-06-25
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: FKW, SBW on 2005-06-12
Gates Co.
Comment: