Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Argyrostrotis Members: 283 NC Records

Argyrostrotis erasa (Guenée, 1852) - Erasa Chocolate Moth

Argyrostrotis erasaArgyrostrotis erasaArgyrostrotis erasaArgyrostrotis erasa
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Poaphilini		P3 Number:
930953		 MONA Number:
8761.00
Comments: One of six species in this genus, all of which occur in central and eastern North America, including North Carolina (Sullivan and Lafontaine, 2011).
Species Status: This genus was recently revised by Sullivan and Lafontaine (2011). They provide a key and illustrations but not any detailed descriptions of the species. A key is also provided by Forbes (1954), who describes only the northern members of this genus in detail.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color is chocolate to umber brown. The antemedial and postmedial lines are usually evident and darker brown. The antemdial line is usually scalloped and the postmedial is strongly dentate. A dark orbicular mark may also be present. The subterminal area is usually more darkly shaded, often with a reddish caste. The fringe in fresh specimens is pure white and conspicuous but may not be noticeable in worn specimens. The hindwings are brown or somewtimes bronzy. Argyrostrotus deleta is similar but smaller. It has a less dentate postemdial line and has a grayish fringe or, if white, then much narrower than in erasa.
Forewing Length: 15-17 mm (Sullivan and Lafontaine, 2011)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Argyrostrotis erasaAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records for this species come from a wide range of Coastal Plain wetlands, including Pocosin and Pond Pine Woodlands, Longleaf Pine Savannas and Flatwoods, Non-riverine Swamp Forests, Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamps, Streamhead Pocosins and Swamp Forests, and shrubby shorelines around depression ponds and beaver impoundments on blackwater streams.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae have been recorded on Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: This species is often flushed during the day in coastal savanna habitats or along the edges of pocosins. Comes well to blacklights.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Wet Acidic Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Argyrostrotis erasa - Erasa Chocolate Moth

Photos: 25
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: David George on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: David George on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-02
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-02
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger and Miles Buddy on 2025-04-26
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-25
Columbus Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-25
Columbus Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, Steve Hall, David George on 2025-04-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-19
Brunswick Co.
Comment: Site 1.
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Becky Elkin on 2025-04-15
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-05-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment: Probably wrong, no clue what this moth is.
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: David L. Heavner on 2022-06-06
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-06-05
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-06-04
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-06-04
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: John Petranka on 2022-04-12
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-05-10
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-04-17
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-05-01
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Argyrostrotis erasaRecorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-07-28
Onslow Co.
Comment: