Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Zale Members:	36 NC Records

Zale duplicata (Bethune, 1865) - Pine False Looper Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Erebinae

Tribe:
Ophiusini

P3 Number:
931038

MONA Number:
8703.00

Other Common Names:
Pine False Looper Zale, Banded Zale

Comments: One of 39 species in this genus that occur north of Mexico, 23 of which have been recorded in North Carolina.

Species Status: Belongs to a group of pine-feeding Zales, all of which possess a sharp, outward-pointing tooth on the antemedian line where the radial vein crosses.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: McDunnough (1943); Forbes (1954)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner (2005); Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: Duplicata is one of the boldest-marked species in this group, with a pattern of strongly contrasting bands of gray, black, and brown. The antemedian area is usually pale gray, bounded outwardly by a black triple median line enclosing the black reniform. Differs from squamularis by the inner edge of the medial line running well before the reniform. Differs from submediana and bethunei, which have a similar medial line, by the paler gray antemedian and subterminal areas; some specimens may need to be dissected to conclusively identify them (Forbes, 1954).

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Larvae are highly variable and include striped forms that resemble those of helata, which also feeds on White Pines, but can be distinguished by a strong hump on segment A8 and by the presence of D2 protuberances (Wagner et al., 2011).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Probably occurs throughout the Mountains, as well as at a few monadnocks located in the western Piedmont. It was not, however, recorded on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park ATBI.

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: Has a single spring flight

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Recorded in North Carolina in both lowland areas, e.g., along the New River, and drier ridges, all with White Pine probably present.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are essentially monophagous, feeding only on White Pine (Pinus strobus) in our area (Wagner et al., 2011). - View

Observation Methods: Appears to come well to blacklights, with records of 26 and 37 being collected in single traps. Like other Zales, it probably also comes well to bait.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for White Pine Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: Although an uncommonly collected species in North Carolina, too little is known about the distribution and habitat affinities of this species to estimate its conservation needs.

Photo Gallery for Zale duplicata - Pine False Looper Moth

Photos: 22

	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-22 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-19 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2024-04-15 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2024-04-08 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-07 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-02 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-04-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-18 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-04-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily L Stanley on 2023-04-07 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-03-24 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2022-06-22 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-08 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-23 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2019-04-05 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2015-05-23 Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: JB Sullivan on 2014-04-25 Ashe Co. Comment: Wingspan = 3.7 cm		Recorded by: JB Sullivan on 2014-04-25 Ashe Co. Comment: Wingspan = 3.5 cm. DNA bar-coded.