Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Pseudanthracia Members: 43 NC Records

Pseudanthracia coracias (Guenée, 1852) - Pseudanthracia Moth

Pseudanthracia coracias
view caption 		Pseudanthracia coraciasPseudanthracia coracias
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Ophiusini		P3 Number:
931015		 MONA Number:
8683.00
Comments: The sole member of its genus; closely related to Zale and sometimes included within it (e.g., Forbes, 1954); differs mainly in the male genitalia, which are much simpler and more symmetric than in Zale (Forbes, 1954)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: (not in either of the field guides)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Coal black or dark ash, sometimes with umber markings; reniform is usually pale. Similar to Z. aeruginosa, which is sympatric, but lacks the green scaling of that species (sometimes has bands of pale frosting). Also similar to Z. undularis, whose range is located farther to the west, but lacks the pale lunule located in the bight of the postmedian opposite the cell (Forbes, 1954). Differs from other black forms of Zale in the subterminal line running less obliquely across the forewing, forming two strong waves; also differs strongly in the male reproductive structures (Forbes, 1954).
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are similar to those of Z. lunata but possess a whitish subdorsal band interrupted on segment A1 (Forbes, 1954).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: All of our records come from the Coastal Plain
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Pseudanthracia coraciasAlamance 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.
Flight Comments: Adults fly throughout the growing season with maybe two or more distinct peaks
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Most of our records come from dry woodlands, including Maritime Evergreen Forests, Coastal Fringe Sandhills, and Pine-Scrub Oak Sandhills. The one exception is a record from the Devils Gut TNC Preserve located in the Roanoke River floodplain.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on oaks (Forbes, 1954). Tietz (1972) also mention Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), which is not native to the areas where this species occurs in North Carolina; species of dwarf locusts might be possible, however. - View
Observation Methods: Comes moderately well to lights and to bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Fire-maintained Sandhills
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S2S3]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Appears to be a habitat specialist and may be vulnerable to reduction and fragmentation of sandhills and other dry oak habitats in the Coastal Plain.

 Photo Gallery for Pseudanthracia coracias - Pseudanthracia Moth

Photos: 8
Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-05-25
Moore Co.
Comment:
Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-04-11
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-04-11
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger, N. Williamson on 2014-06-04
Moore Co.
Comment: Resting on scorched bark		Pseudanthracia coraciasRecorded by: SPH & DFS on 1992-05-04
Brunswick Co.
Comment: Collected at bait in a Longleaf Pine Savanna. Wingspan = 3.1 cm. Determined by Dale Schweitzer