Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Pangrapta Members: 892 NC Records

Pangrapta decoralis Hübner, 1818 - Decorated Owlet Moth

Pangrapta decoralisPangrapta decoralisPangrapta decoralisPangrapta decoralis
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Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Pangraptinae		P3 Number:
930559		 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 Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Wingspan: 20-25 mm (Forbes,1954)
Adult Structural Features: See examples of variation in genitalia below that may reflect members of a species complex.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Occurs statewide in North Carolina.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Pangrapta decoralisAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
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 (Oxydendrum arboreum), and Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, larvae have been reared from Sourwood. - 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 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 Pangrapta decoralis - Decorated Owlet Moth

 163 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-31
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-22
Moore Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-22
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin. on 2025-08-17
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-06
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03
Moore Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-02
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: David George, Dale Morgan, Patrick Coin, Julie Tuttle, Becky Watkins, et al. on 2025-07-26
Orange Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-07-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-13
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-13
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-04
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: David George, David Cheng, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-21
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-20
Moore Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-09
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-01
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Miles Buddy on 2025-04-26
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-25
Columbus Co.
Comment:
Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Pangrapta decoralis
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-04-22
Chatham Co.
Comment: