Moths of North Carolina
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90 NC Records

Sericaglaea signata (French, 1879) - Variable Sallow


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: XyleniniP3 Number: 932595.00 MONA Number: 9941.00
Comments: A monotypic genus found across most of the eastern United States including North Carolina.
Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been barcoded and are very similar to those from Florida and Oklahoma; there is no evidence of undescribed species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized Sallow. This winter moth is typically brown with variably contrasting yellow veins. In overall pattern, it is similar to Chaetoglaea sericea, but possesses a dentate rather than even postmedian line. The subterminal line is usually irregular in both species but often has a contrasting pale area immediately following it in Sericaglaea but is more concolorous on both sides of the subterminal in C. sericea. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 40-42 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: The male and female genitalia are reminiscent of those of Metaxaglaea species but are distinct and readily identify the species.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larva looks much like many closely related ‘glaeas’.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Found across the state but absent from the high mountains and unrecorded from much of the 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)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Adults emerge in the late fall but do not breed until February and March preferring instead to hibernate through the coldest part of the season. It is usually one of the most regular larger noctuid species collected in the spring before the season is well under way, flying with Metaxaglaea violacea in the Coastal Plain but usually after Chaetoglaea species are done flying. Spring specimens can be quite worn and seemingly unlike fall specimens in pattern.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Recorded from various types of hardwood forests; we have no records from pine savannas or peatlands where hardwood trees are scarce to absent. In the Coastal Plain, our records come from both maritime forests and swamp forests. In the Piedmont, it has been recorded primarily in wet or mesic habitats, including reservoir shorelines, mafic slopes, and wooded residential neighborhoods. Our few record from the mountains also come from stands of riparian or mesic hardwoods.
Larval Host Plants: Recorded from many common trees, the larvae appear to favor cherry and several oak species. Exact foodplants being used in any one area are unknown. - View
Observation Methods: Adults come readily to lights and bait, but probably not to flowers since few are in bloom while the species is on the wing.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Although our records currently come from only a handful of the counties in the state, it will probably turn out to be fairly common throughout the state once more sampling is done in its late season flight period. There is no evidence to suggest that is restricted by either host plants or habitats, and it is likely to be secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Sericaglaea signata - Variable Sallow

74 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-04-01
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-03-17
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-25
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-24
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-24
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-03-01
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-02-08
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-01-01
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-04-04
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-03-31
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-03-30
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-03-22
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-03-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-03-03
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-12-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-12-16
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-12-10
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-26
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-10
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-04-08
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-03-30
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-03-28
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-03-28
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2021-02-28
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-02-24
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-11-07
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-11-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-10-15
Madison Co.
Comment: