Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Platypolia Members: 19 NC Records

Platypolia mactata (Guenée, 1852) - Adorable Brocade

Platypolia mactataPlatypolia mactataPlatypolia mactata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Xylenini		P3 Number:
932699		 MONA Number:
9419.00		 Other Common Name:
Adorable Sallow
Comments: Information based primarily on molecular data and/or genitalia indicate that the genus that this species currently is assigned to is misapplied, but the correct genus to which it should be assigned has not been determined by experts. The genus name is sometimes placed in quotation marks ("Platypolia" mactata) to indicate the misapplied name.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
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.
Platypolia mactataAlamance 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 Hanover 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: Wagner et al. (2011) list woodlands and forests, mostly on rich soils as habitats used by this species. We have records from cove forests, high elevation hardwoods, and montane alluvial forests. Piedmont records come from a high monadnock that supports a number of montane species.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on woody plants, including Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina) (Wagner et al., 2011); in captivity, they also feed on cherry (Prunus) and Gray Birch (Betula populifolia). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Montane Mesic Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [W-PK]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S2S3]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Platypolia mactata - Adorable Brocade

Photos: 10
Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-19
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-19
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-10-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-10-12
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-03
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-02
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-02
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-02
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Platypolia mactata
Recorded by: Owen and Pat McConnell on 2019-10-12
Graham Co.
Comment: