Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Papaipema Members: 20 NC Records

Papaipema stenocelis (Dyar, 1907) - Chain Fern Borer Moth

Papaipema stenocelisPapaipema stenocelis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Apameini		P3 Number:
932474		 MONA Number:
9481.00
Comments: One of 44 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 30 of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Similar but smaller than speciosissima. According to Forbes (1954), the postmedian line curves up to the costa without making a sharp bend and paralleling the costa to near the upper end of the reniform.
Wingspan: 40 mm (Forbes, 1954)
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.
Papaipema stenocelisAlamance 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: Our records all come from Coastal Plain wetlands, including semi-open peatlands and blackwater swamp forests.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae appear to be monophagous on Virginia Chain-fern (Anchistea virginica) (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Blackwater Wetlands
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 Papaipema stenocelis - Chain Fern Borer Moth

Photos: 3
Papaipema stenocelis
Recorded by: Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joshua Emm, Abner Burgos-Melendez on 2025-09-20
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Papaipema stenocelis
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-08-31
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Papaipema stenocelis
Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2007-10-03
Bladen Co.
Comment: