Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFErebidae Members:
Hypena Members:
19 NC Records

Hypena humuli Harris, 1841 - Hop Vine Moth

Hypena humuliHypena humuliHypena humuli
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HypeninaeP3 Number: 930584 MONA Number: 8461.00
Comments: One of 29 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010). Fifteen species have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color is typically dull luteous in females and darker fuscous or reddish-brown in males (Forbes, 1954). A darker trapezoidal patch occurs in the median area below the costa but not reaching below the middle of the wing. The rear edge of this patch -- representing the postimedian -- is strongly pointed towards the outer margin. Another darker triangular shade can exist extending inward from the outer margin, nearly reaching the median patch. The subterminal line is represented by a series of dark or dark and light points located between the veins. The orbicular and reniform are represented by tufts of black scales. The hindwings are dark.

Hypena scabra is similar in coloration but has a postmedian line that has a strongly straight-running lower portion that is missing in humuli.
Wingspan: 27-30 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: The forewings are relatively narrow in this species and in H. scabra, unlike the other members of this genus (Forbes, 1954); the hindwings are half-again as wide as the forewings. The inner margin of the forewing is straight in this species but sinuous in H. scabra.
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: North Carolina records come primarily from rich mesic forests in the Mountains and brownwater river bottomlands and marl-rich wetlands in the Coastal Plain.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on members of the Urticaceae, including Hops, Nettles, and Wood Nettles (Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Hypena humuli - Hop Vine Moth

Photos: 8

Recorded by: Ed Corey, David George on 2023-06-17
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2019-07-30
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2019-04-24
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-04-23
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-04-18
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-09
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2014-05-28
Yancey Co.
Comment: