Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Eosphoropteryx Members: 55 NC Records

Eosphoropteryx thyatyroides (Guenée, 1852) - Pink-patched Looper Moth

Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesEosphoropteryx thyatyroidesEosphoropteryx thyatyroidesEosphoropteryx thyatyroides
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Plusiinae		Tribe:
Plusiini		P3 Number:
931187		 MONA Number:
8905.00
Comments: The sole member of its genus, which is found in northern and eastern North America (Lafontaine and Poole, 1991).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized Looper with a striking pattern of pink, brown, and gray on its forwings and a high reddish crest on its thorax. The stigma is an open, silver v, followed by a solid spot; hindwings are fuscous with a white-barred fringe (Forbes, 1954). This species is unlikely to be confused with any other of our species.
Wingspan: 35 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: Male and female reproductive structures are described and illustrated by Lafontaine and Poole (1991)
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.
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesAlamance 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 come from fairly rich, mesic habitats, including cove forests and ridges on amphibolite substrates. A few also come from high elevation sites, such as Mt. Mitchell, Roan Mountain, and Mt. Collins.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on meadow-rues (Thalictrum spp.) and columbines (Aquilegia spp.) in the Ranunculaceae, with at least one report from lousewort (Pedicularis) in the Scrophulariaceae (Lafontaine and Poole, 1991). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Montane Mesic Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Eosphoropteryx thyatyroides - Pink-patched Looper Moth

Photos: 29
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2023-10-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2023-08-04
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-03
Graham Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2023-07-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-10-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-09-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-09-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-09-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-14
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-20
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: tom ward on 2021-06-26
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-08
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2019-09-06
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-30
Madison Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger, P. Scharf on 2015-06-18
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger, P. Scharf on 2015-06-18
Avery Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Paul Scharf, B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger on 2012-07-25
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Doug Blatny/Jackie Nelson on 2012-07-25
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 0000-00-00
Graham Co.
Comment: