Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Basilodes Members:
65 NC Records

Basilodes pepita Guenée, 1852 - Gold Moth


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: AmphipyrinaeTribe: StiriiniP3 Number: 931676.00 MONA Number: 9781.00
Comments: A very distinct genus of 7 species found from Costa Rica into Canada. One species reaches North Carolina.
Species Status: Examples from North Carolina have been barcoded and exactly match specimens from Florida and Oklahoma. There is no evidence of additional, unrecognized species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Poole (1995)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner (2005); Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A large, lovely golden moth. The large, hollow spots and fine, dark postmedian distinguish this species from other bright yellow or gold-colored Noctuids, such as Cirrophanus triangulifer, Stiria rugifrons, and Argyrogramma verruca. Sexes are similar.
Adult Structural Features: Typical for this group of Noctuids and should differentiate it from anything closely resembling it. Note the pointed ovipositor, which probably evolved for laying eggs into the flowers of Asteraceae.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The black and orange caterpillars resemble the larvae of sawflies (Wagner et al, 2011). Middle instar larvae are said to feed at night, later larval stages feed throughout the day and night on the flowers and seed capsules.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Found from the mountains into the western Coastal Plain.
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)

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