Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Harrisimemna Members: 59 NC Records

Harrisimemna trisignata (Walker, 1856) - Harris's Three-spot


Harrisimemna trisignataHarrisimemna trisignata
view caption
Harrisimemna trisignataHarrisimemna trisignata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea
Family:
Noctuidae
Subfamily:
Acronictinae
P3 Number:
931419.4
MONA Number:
9286.00
Comments: A genus of two species, one from Japan and one from North America, largely the eastern part but that distribution tails toward Alaska and may trace the origin of our species. Currently it is a member of the Acronictinae but has been placed elsewhere in its history.
Species Status: Examples from North Carolina have been barcoded. Overall there appear to be two clusters of barcodes, one from eastern Canada and the other from throughout the species’ range including eastern Canada. The clusters are about 1.3% apart and probably represent a historical separation, reuniting of partially differentiated populations, and now two well separated clusters of barcodes. No other data support the existence of multiple species.
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 et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The unique pattern with circular brown spots near the wing apices will easily identify this species. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 30-35 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: The male and female genitalia are consistent with those of other Acronictines and should serve as a tool to recognize them should the need arise.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The caterpillar is most peculiar with a large hump on the eighth abdominal segment and with its shed head capsules retained on its thoracic setae (consult Wagner et al (2011) for details). Given the oddity of its form and behavior, the life history should be studied in more detail.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Distributed across the state
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Harrisimemna trisignataAlamance 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: It appears to have one brood in the Mountains, two in the Piedmont, and perhaps three in the Coastal Plain.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Almost all of our records come from wet or mesic forests. These include both riverine and non-riverine swamp forests, pond-pine woodlands and other peatlands, bottomland hardwoods, mesic ravines, and river and lake shorelines
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, reported from a very wide variety of woody plants. Wagner (2005) specifically lists New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), ash (Fraxinus), holly (Ilex), honeysuckle (Lonicera), apple (Malus), cherry (Prunus), willow (Salix), blackberry (Rubus), and Viburnum, with holly the most common host. In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded on Buttonbush, Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), and Witherod Viburnum (Viburnum cassinoides). - View
Observation Methods: Adults come to light, but the scarcity of records despite its wide range of habitats could indicate that it comes only poorly. They are not known to respond to bait or flowers.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
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: More needs to be learned about the host plants and habitats preferred by this species, but it is widely distributed across the state and seems to occupy a wide range of habitats. Consequently, it appears to be secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Harrisimemna trisignata - Harris's Three-spot

31 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18
Brunswick Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11
Madison Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-10
Madison Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Dr. John Kuykendall on 2023-06-19
Henderson Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-14
Wake Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-07-26
Wake Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Becky Watkins, Richard Teper, Stephen Dunn on 2022-07-23
Orange Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2022-07-23
Orange Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-21
Wake Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-09-03
Chatham Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-05-17
Wake Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-28
Guilford Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-08-26
Orange Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-07-18
Buncombe Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-07-07
Onslow Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-05
Madison Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2018-05-09
Burke Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2017-05-22
McDowell Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, S. Hall on 2015-07-22
Stanly Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2015-06-18
Avery Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2014-08-03
McDowell Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Paul Scharf on 2014-05-24
Warren Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2014-05-22
Cabarrus Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-08-10
Warren Co.
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Harrisimemna trisignataRecorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2011-05-02
Mecklenburg Co.
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