Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Basilodes Members: 77 NC Records

Basilodes pepita Guenée, 1852 - Gold Moth

Basilodes pepitaBasilodes pepita
view caption 		Basilodes pepitaBasilodes pepita
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Amphipyrinae		Tribe:
Stiriini		P3 Number:
931676		 MONA Number:
9781.00		 Other Common Name:
Crownbeard Seedcopper
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 Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD, iNat SearchTechnical 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.
Genitalia and other 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.
Basilodes pepitaAlamance 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.