Moths of North Carolina
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34 NC Records

Elaphria alapallida Pogue & Sullivan, 2003 - Pale-winged Midget

Elaphria alapallidaElaphria alapallidaElaphria alapallidaElaphria alapallida
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Elaphriini		P3 Number:
932234		 MONA Number:
9681.10		 Other Common Name:
Northern Festive Midget
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
Species Status: Three species have now been described that were formerly included within the Elaphria festivoides complex: festivoides, cornutinus, and alapallida. All are distinct in terms of their reproductive structures but can be very difficult to distinguish based on external appearance alone. We use a combination of wing markings, flight period, habitat association, and range within the state to place at least some specimens within the individual species accounts, but many submitted records based on photographs need to be left at the level of the Elaphria festivoides complex.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Pogue and Sullivan (2003)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a summer-flying, primarily montane species in North Carolina. The wing pattern is similar to those of the other members of this complex but is brighter-appearing particularly compared to festivoides due to the presence of patches of rufous and white scales (Pogue and Sullivan, 2003). The hindwings in this species are white rather than the fuscous found in cornutinus or festivoides. Compared to festivoides, the markings are also more distinct. In particular, the claviform spot is usually well-developed in alapallida but indistinct or missing in festivoides.
Forewing Length: 10-13 mm (Pogue and Sullivan, 2003)
Adult Structural Features: The cornuti of the male aedaegus are fewer in number -- 21-35 -- and shorter than those of festivoides.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This species is primarily northern in its distribution. It is nearly restricted to the Blue Ridge in North Carolina, but with records from both the Sauratown and Uwharrie Mountains, two complexes of monadnocks in the Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Elaphria alapallida
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: Alapallida is single-brooded. In North Carolina, it flies from late April to the end of June (Pogue and Sullivan, 2003).
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come mainly from wet-mesic forests in the Mountains, including riparian forests, mountain bogs, and high elevation hardwoods. Piedmont records all come from monadnocks with extensive mesic slopes.
Larval Host Plants: Larval host plants appear to be unknown (Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Montane Wet-Mesic Forests and Edges
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 Elaphria alapallida - Pale-winged Midget

Photos: 5

Recorded by: tom ward on 2024-05-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-15
Polk Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-27
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-27
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2013-06-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment: