Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Chaetaglaea Members:	90 NC Records

Chaetaglaea sericea (Morrison, 1874) - Silky Sallow

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Noctuinae

Tribe:
Xylenini

P3 Number:
932607

MONA Number:
9950.00

Comments: Currently this genus of 4 species (soon to be 5) is wholly North American and three of the species are found in North Carolina. The genus is quite similar to other “glaeas” and distinguished largely by features of the male valve and aedeagus.

Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been barcoded and show a haplotype not seen elsewhere. However, it is only about 0.7% different from other haplotypes and unlikely to be an overlooked species. Interestingly, specimens from Canada and Florida seem to have more similar sequences than either have to North Carolina specimens.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: This a pure brown species with pale veins and prominent antemedial and medial lines; it also has a prominent pale streak along the inner margin. It is mostly likely confused with Sericaglaea signata which usually lacks the prominent lines and usually has a dentate postmedian unlike the even postmedian in C. sericea; the renform dot is also black in sericea but is often black surrounded by gray in S. signata. Sexes are similar.

Adult Structural Features: Both males and females can be distinguished by their unique genitalia. The absence of the dentate processes on the valva found in Sericaglaea and C. rhonda will identify C. sericea males. In the female the anterior edge of the ostial plate is not flat but triangular.

Genitalia and other structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Larvae much like other “glaeas”, basically a brown cutworm with a white line of varying widths enclosing the spiracles; Wagner et al (2011) recommend that larvae be reared to adulthood in order to determine their identity. Eggs said to hatch about the time red oaks begin to leaf out (Wagner et al, 2011).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found from the Coastal Plain to the lower mountains

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: Flies from September to January, with a few stragglers found as late as May

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: We have records from a wide variety of habitats, including maritime forests, Longleaf Pine habitats, peatlands, lakeshores, and upland hardwoods.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae apparently prefer red oaks but caterpillars have been found on aspen (Populus), cherry (Prunus), chokeberry (Aronia), oak (Quercus), and blueberry (Vaccinium) (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: Adults come to light and are attracted to bait. Since it is primarily a fall species, few flowers are available and we are unaware of records at flowers.

Wikipedia

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: Although we need to know much more about its specific habitat requirements, foodplant choices, and distribution in our state, its broad distribution and occurrence in common habitat types make it seem secure.

Photo Gallery for Chaetaglaea sericea - Silky Sallow

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-15 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-07 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tony McBride, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-29 Craven Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-27 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-24 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-10 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-09 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-03 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-02 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-01 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-21 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-18 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-11-17 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-17 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-16 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-16 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-10 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-04 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-12-25 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2021-12-16 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2021-12-03 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2021-12-02 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-10-27 Cabarrus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-10-22 Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-10-20 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-10-19 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-11-10 Wake Co. Comment: