Moths of North Carolina
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Pangrapta Members:
803 NC Records

Pangrapta decoralis Hübner, 1818 - Decorated Owlet Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: PangraptinaeP3 Number: 930559.00 MONA Number: 8490.00
Species Status: Currently only a single species is recognized but several distinct forms appear to represent cryptic siblings
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Wingspan: 20-25 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
Immature 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: Our records come from virtually all heath-containing habitats in the state, ranging from pocosins to high elevation rocky summits.
Larval Host Plants: Oligophagous, larvae feed on a wide range of heaths, including Vaccinium, Gaylussacia, Sourwood, and Lyonia (Staggerbush, Lyonia mariana) (Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Dry Heath Thickets
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 Pangrapta decoralis - Decorated Owlet Moth

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

Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther on 2024-04-08
Columbus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-19
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-10
Orange Co.
Comment: Larva feeding on sourwood
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-10
Orange Co.
Comment: Adult reared from larva on sourwood; emerged 9/12/23		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2023-07-17
Haywood Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-06
Alleghany Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-06
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-23
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-21
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-12
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka and Chuck Smith on 2023-05-11
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-04-28
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-04-12
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-08-23
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-09
Rockingham Co.
Comment: