Moths of North Carolina
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32 NC Records

Zale bethunei (Smith, 1908) - Bethune's Zale

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ErebinaeTribe: OphiusiniP3 Number: 931040.00 MONA Number: 8705.00
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: Covell (1984)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: McDunnough (1943); Forbes (1954); Rings et al. (1992)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Bethunei is fairly easy to recognize, being reddish brown with a heavy overlay of blackish scales. The median line is often composed of triple lines of black, strongly contrasting with lighter reddish brown areas before and after; the postmedian and subterminal lines are also usually black (Forbes, 1954; Rings et al., 1992).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae of bethunei are relatively constant in coloration, striped pale gray and yellowish brown, and are relatively easy to identify, especially if found on Scrub Pine (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 follows the distribution of Scrub Pine in North Carolina, which is absent over the Coastal Plain but widespread in the Piedmont and Mountains.
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)

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