Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Nedra Members:	137 NC Records

Nedra ramosula (Guenée, 1852) - Gray Half-spot Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Actinotiini

P3 Number:
932283

MONA Number:
9582.00

Other Common Name:
Gray St. Johnswort Moth

Comments: A New World genus of some 8 species, of which 4 occur in the United States and 1 in North Carolina. Related to Alastria and Iodopepla but otherwise isolated.

Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been examined and form part of a homogenous cluster for the species.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: This gray Noctuid with heavy longitudinal streaking and a large yellowish-tan reniform spot is unlike anything else in our fauna. The ground color is light blue-gray with a long black basal dash and a shorter sub-basal dash. A blackish wedge partially enclosing the reniform, and a series of black terminal wedges extend in from the outer margin interposed between a matching series of pale wedges bordering the veins (see Forbes, 1954 for details).

Wingspan: 28-35 mm (Forbes, 1954)

Adult Structural Features: Both male and female genitalia can be used to diagnose this species. The characters resemble those of Iodopepla but are otherwise quite different from other Noctuids

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Larvae are reddish-brown with a pale spiracular stripe (see Wagner et al., 2011, for illustrations and a detailed description)

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: This species is likely to be found almost anywhere in the state.

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Adult captures indicate that there are probably three broods in the Coastal Plain.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records for this species come from nearly every habitat type in the state, ranging from open dunes on the Barrier Islands to Northern Hardwoods/Spruce Fir Forests at the summit of Grandfather Mountain. In between, they come from Peatlands, Longleaf Pine Savannas and Sandhills, river and stream floodplain forests, lakeshores, glades, and dry ridges.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on species of St. John's-wort (Hypericum). Wagner et al (2011) found larvae on Bushy St. John's-wort (H. densiflorum) in the Appalachian foothills but with some 30 species of this foodplant genus in North Carolina, Nedra likely feeds on others as well. Given that the species is seldom common, it is possible that they feed on just a subset of Hypericum species. In North Carolina, our only confirmed host is Bushy St. John's-wort. - View

Observation Methods: Adults come to light and bait but have not been recorded at flowers. Larvae seem to remain on the plant (unlike many noctuid larvae which hide in the leaf litter during the day), so beating should be productive and informative.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for St. John's-wort Thickets

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: This species appears to be uncommon throughout the state despite the fact that Hypericum species are found almost everywhere. This may indicate that adults are not strongly attracted to light. Systematic searches for larvae need to be done in order to determine if they have preferences for particular species of Hypericum.

Photo Gallery for Nedra ramosula - Gray Half-spot Moth

60 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-27 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-27 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-03-12 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-07 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-07 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-10 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-24 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-24 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-03-30 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-02-27 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-10-10 Warren Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2023-09-25 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-03 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-02-28 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-02-22 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-08-25 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-22 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2022-08-14 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-05-28 Sampson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-05-28 Sampson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-17 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-04-25 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-12 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-04-07 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-03-20 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petrankam Petranka on 2022-03-06 Madison Co. Comment: