Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Elaphria Members: 454 NC Records

Elaphria versicolor (Grote, 1875) - Variegated Midget

Elaphria versicolorElaphria versicolorElaphria versicolorElaphria versicolor
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Elaphriini		P3 Number:
932228		 MONA Number:
9678.00		 Other Common Name:
Fir Harlequin
Comments: One of fourteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), nine 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: This species is more evenly dark fuscous than other members of this genus, especially in the anterior costal portion of the wing. The most conspicuous markings include a yellowish patch at the forewing apex, and a white bar or patch at the costa following the postmedial line. The filling between the reniform and the postmededial line is a mix of black and yellowish scales, a key difference distinguishing this species from chalcedonia, which has a solid black filling at that location (Forbes, 1954). The hindwing is evenly fuscous rather than white, as in chalcedonia.
Wingspan: 22 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.
Elaphria versicolorAlamance 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: We have records from nearly all types of forests and shrublands found across the state.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae have been reared on epiphytic algae, bark, galls, fruit, and foliage and have been observed on a number of different deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs (Wagner et al., 2011). Reported hosts include fir (Abies), birch (Betula), larch (Larix), spruce (Picea), pine (Pinus), and hemlock (Tsuga). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Elaphria versicolor - Variegated Midget

 200 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-29
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-09
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-08-09
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: David George, David Bradley, Becky Watkins, David Cheng, Michelle Lotker, Tracy Feldman, et al. on 2025-06-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-06-23
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-05-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-05-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-20
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-14
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-04-05
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-04-05
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: David George on 2025-04-04
Durham Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-03
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-03
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-11-18
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-11-05
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-11-01
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-14
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Elaphria versicolor
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: