Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Pyreferra Members: 30 NC Records

Pyreferra hesperidago (Guenée, 1852) - Mustard Sallow

Pyreferra hesperidagoPyreferra hesperidagoPyreferra hesperidago
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Xylenini		P3 Number:
932583		 MONA Number:
9929.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a powdery orange species with red-brown lines (Forbes, 1954). As in citromba, the postmedian runs straight but is angulated next to the costa. Unlike citromba, the antemedian is rarely straight but usually is slightly excurved or somewhat waved. The median line is also somewhat irregular and is tangent to the reniform spot. Both spots are usually distinct and dusted with orange. Hindwings are lighter orange, often with a darker reddish or brownish postemedian shade. Pyreferra citromba is yellowish rather than orange and has straight antemedian and median lines. The other species have postmedian lines that are indistinct, waved, or punctiform.
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.
Pyreferra hesperidagoAlamance 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%20Hanover 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: Our records come from stands of mesic hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S2S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Pyreferra hesperidago - Mustard Sallow

Photos: 16
Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05
Chatham Co.
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Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: tom ward on 2024-04-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
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Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2024-03-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: tom ward on 2024-02-10
Buncombe Co.
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Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: Emily L Stanley on 2023-04-05
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: tom ward on 2023-03-27
Buncombe Co.
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Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-03-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-03-18
Guilford Co.
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Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-02-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: T. DeSantis on 2015-03-17
Durham Co.
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Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: T. Nergart on 2015-03-11
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Pyreferra hesperidagoRecorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-03-05
Warren Co.
Comment: