Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Papaipema Members: 18 NC Records

Papaipema speciosissima (Grote & Robinson, 1868) - Osmunda Borer Moth

Papaipema speciosissimaPapaipema speciosissimaPapaipema speciosissima
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Apameini		P3 Number:
932475		 MONA Number:
9482.00
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); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color is reddish to orange with the outer third darker and more purplish (Forbes, 1954). The reniform, orbicular and claviform are white, narrow vertical bars. The antemedian, median, and postmedian lines are brown. The postmedian is double and curves smoothly up towards the costa before making a sharp bend, then paralleling the costa to just above the reniform, where it fades out. P. stenocelis is similar but the postmedian does not make the sharp bend at the costa.
Wingspan: 42 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 speciosissimaAlamance 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 come from seepage slopes, savannas, bottomland forests, and peatlands.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae bore into ferns, particularly Royal Fern (Osmunda spectabilis), but also Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) and Interrupted Fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana) (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet Fernlands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S2S4]
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 speciosissima - Osmunda Borer Moth

Photos: 3
Papaipema speciosissima
Recorded by: Tony McBride, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-29
Craven Co.
Comment: 		Papaipema speciosissima
Recorded by: Tony McBride, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-28
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Papaipema speciosissima
Recorded by: Tony McBride, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-28
Carteret Co.
Comment: