Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFErebidae Members:
Zale Members:
0 NC Records

Zale intenta Walker, [1858] - Intent Zale

No image for this species.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Ophiusini		P3 Number:
931049		 MONA Number:
8713.10		 Other Common Name:
Bold-based Zale
Comments: One of 39 species in this genus that occur north of Mexico, 23 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Zale intenta was recently separated from Z. lunifera, a close sibling species, by Schmidt (2010).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Schmidt (2010)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Intenta is likely to have a statewide distribution but the situation is currently unclear due to past confusion with lunifera
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Zale intenta
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: Probably univoltine with adults flying two-three weeks earlier than lunifera (Wagner et al., 2011)
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: In the Northeast, Zale lunifera is believed to be highly confined to sandy barrens located close to the coast, where they are associated with populations of Scrub Oak (Quercus ilicifolia); all other records are assumed to represent Z. intenta. In North Carolina, however, several species that feed on Scrub Oak up north feed on other xeric oaks, including Turkey Oak (Q. laevis) and Blackjack Oak (Q. marilandica). Those that feed on Blackjack Oak in particular often occur outside the Coastal Plain, including well up into the Mountains (e.g., Hemileuca maia, Hyparpax aurora, and Morrisonia mucens). It seems unsafe to simply assume, therefore, that the same pattern observed for Z. lunifera in the Northeast will hold in the Southeast. Conversely, since Black Cherry can occur in even some of the driest habitats in the state, it is also not safe to assume that all records for this complex coming from xeric sandhills represent Z. lunifera. Waiting to see how bar-coded specimens sort out by habitat appears to be the best course.
Larval Host Plants: Wagner et al. (2011) reported that cherry (Prunus spp.) - especially Black Cherry (P. serotina) and plums - are the main host plants, although at least one adult has been reared by Dale Schweitzer from a larva found on Willow Oak (Q. phellos). In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan also had rearing records from Bluejack Oak (Q. incana) and blueberry (Vaccinium sp.). More research is needed to determine if oaks (rather than cherry and plum) are the preferred hosts in our state. - View
Observation Methods: Appears to come moderately well to blacklights, with large numbers of individuals occasionally being collected in single traps. Like other Zale species, it probably also comes well to bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Rosaceous Thickets
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: Probably is a secure species in North Carolina but more information is needed on its distribution and habitat associations before its conservation needs can be estimated.