Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Zale Members: 89 NC Records

Zale unilineata (Grote, 1876) - One-lined Zale


Zale unilineataZale unilineataZale unilineata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea
Family:
Erebidae
Subfamily:
Erebinae
Tribe:
Ophiusini
P3 Number:
931052
MONA Number:
8716.00
Comments: One of 39 species in this genus that occur north of Mexico, 23 of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner (2005); Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A large, pale-to-warm brown Zale without strong constrasting zones across the wings, although the terminal area is usually grayer than the inner portions of the wing (Forbes, 1954). The basal, antemedian, and median lines are all diffuse but the combined postmedian and subterminal lines are the most conspicuous makings on the wings. The pale portion of this line is formed by the postmedian, with the outer portion often reddish. Zale declarans has a very similar pattern overall but possesses a predominately pale line on the hindwing rather than the contrastingly dark line present in unilineata; the outer margin is also more scalloped in unilineata. In North Carolina, these two species occupy widely separated ranges, with the Black Locusts that unilineata feeds upon generally not present (if present at all) in the maritime forests and coastal fringe sandhills occupied by declarans.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are similar to those of Zale undularis, which also feed on Black Locust. While possibly separable based on several characters, Wagner et al. (2011) recommend that larvae of these species be reared to adulthood in order to determine their identities.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Previously recorded only in the Mountains and Western Piedmont, where Black Locust is native, but now found to the eastern edge of the Piedmont
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Zale unilineataAlamance 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: Appears to have a single flight in the spring
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from mesic-to-dry sites in the Mountains, but it is not clear whether Black Locust is growing under completely natural conditions at all these sites or may have been planted. In the eastern Piedmont, it has been recorded in areas where Black Locust is mostly all planted or escaped.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are monophagous, reported to feed only on Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) (Forbes, 1954; Wagner, 2005; Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Observation Methods: Appears to come quite well to blacklights with large numbers having been taken in single traps. Like other Zale species, it probably also comes well to bait.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Locust Groves and 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: The natural habitats used by this species are unclear; Black Locust is often associated with rural lands in North Carolina and is now often planted well outside of their natural range within the state. With recent records from the eastern Piedmont, Zale unilineata may be expanding its range within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Zale unilineata - One-lined Zale

32 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-26
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-22
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-14
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-25
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-04-16
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-04-16
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-14
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-03
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-07
Transylvania Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-29
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Emily L Stanley on 2023-04-29
Yancey Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-20
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-03
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-26
Buncombe Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-10
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-06-03
Durham Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-05-23
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-23
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-04-04
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Stephen Hall on 2018-06-01
Orange Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-11
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-04-14
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2015-05-13
McDowell Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: J. Merrill Lynch on 2015-05-09
Watauga Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: T. Nergart on 2015-04-15
Transylvania Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2015-04-08
Orange Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2014-05-20
Madison Co.
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Zale unilineataRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-05-08
Cabarrus Co.
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