Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Lithophane Members: 27 NC Records

Lithophane viridipallens Grote, 1877 - Pale Green Pinion

Lithophane viridipallensLithophane viridipallensLithophane viridipallensLithophane viridipallens
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Xylenini		P3 Number:
932552		 MONA Number:
9905.00
Comments: One of 51 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 25 of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The thorax is powdery, pale gray. The ground color of the forewings is a shining greenish gray (Forbes, 1954). A basal dash is missing but the basal area as a whole may be outlined in fine black. The antemedian and postmedian are darker gray, doubled, filled with pale gray and waved in the case of the antemedian and dentate in the postmedian. A darker median shade can also be present and especially contrasting from the costa to the area in between the spots. The orbicular and reniform are both finely outlined with black and filled with pale gray; the orbicular lacks a lower loop and the reniform has a inner darker lunule. Lithophane baileyi has a similar pattern but is more contrastingly marked, with a heavy basal dash and median shade. A reddish shade is usually present in the reniform and the orbicular is open at the top, extending to the costal margin.
Adult Structural Features: The forewings are narrow with a distinct bulge at the middle of the costa, slightly concave before and more markedly after (Forbes, 1954).
Genitalia and other structural photos
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.
Lithophane viridipallensAlamance 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.
Immature 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: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from maritime forests and scrub, lakeshores, barrens, and various types of hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous on a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs, and well as greenbriers (Smilax spp.) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, Bo Sullivan reared larvae from Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) and Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis). - 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 [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Lithophane viridipallens - Pale Green Pinion

Photos: 22
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-03-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-02-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-01-18
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-04-12
Moore Co.
Comment: Found on Black Cherry
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-04-12
Scotland Co.
Comment: Found on Black Cherry		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-02-24
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-01-15
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-01-15
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-12-25
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-03-09
Madison Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-12-31
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Leigh Anne Carter on 2018-04-04
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Leigh Anne Carter on 2018-04-04
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2018-03-16
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2016-04-30
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2016-04-24
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2016-04-04
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-02-17
Warren Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-02-17
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-02-11
Warren Co.
Comment:
Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2011-01-02
Camden Co.
Comment: 		Lithophane viridipallens
Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2010-02-23
Camden Co.
Comment: