Moths of North Carolina

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Hypena scabra (Fabricius, 1798) - Green Cloverworm Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Hypeninae

P3 Number:
930588

MONA Number:
8465.00

Other Common Name:
Black Snout

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: Covell (1984; as Plathypena scabra); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: The forewings typically have a dark medial patch located below the costa, bordered to the front and towards the inner margin by a paler brown shade; females are typically lighter and more mottled than the males. Both the orbicular and reniform are marked by raised black scales and the most conspicuous mark is a straight, raised row of black scales that forms the lower part of the postmedian line (Forbes, 1954). The upper portion of this line is more angular, with a rearward point below the cell that is somewhat similar but not as pronounced as that in Hypena humuli. Hindwings are grayish-brown.

This species and H. humuli differ from other members of this genus in their possession of tufts of black scales at the orbicular and reniform spots and, in the case of scabra, by a straight-running lower portion of the postmedian that is also composed of raised scales.

Forewing Length: 25-33 mm (Forbes, 1954)

Adult Structural Features: The hindwings are half-again as wide as the forewings (Forbes, 1954). The inner margin of the forewing is sinuous rather than straight, as it is in the other members of this genus.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found throughout the state, from Mt. Mitchell to the Outer Banks.

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: This species flies throughout the year and can be common even in mid-winter.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This is one of our most ubiquitous and omnipresent species. Habitats range from maritime dunes and forests on the barrier islands to high elevation stands of northern hardwoods.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, showing a preference for members of the pea family but also feeding on a wide range of other forbs, shrubs, and trees. Among the hosts listed by Wagner et al. (2011) are ragweed (Ambrosia), indigo-bush (Amorpha), birch (Betula), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus), hackberry (Celtis), strawberry (Fragaria), Lespedeza, beans (Phaseolus), Garden Pea (Pisum sativum), poplar (Populus), cherry (Prunus), locust (Robinia), willow (Salix), Sida, and vetch (Vicia). - View

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Mixed Habitats

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [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 Hypena scabra - Green Cloverworm Moth

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-01-10 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-01-09 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2026-01-08 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2026-01-07 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2026-01-07 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2026-01-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2026-01-01 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2026-01-01 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Teper on 2025-12-31 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-12-25 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-12-24 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-12-23 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-11-21 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-11-21 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-21 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-11-15 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-11-09 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-11-07 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-11-06 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-11-05 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Tony McBride, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-29 Craven Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-21 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-10-20 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-15 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-13 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-08 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-03 Richmond Co. Comment: