Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-Fairy moths
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-Batrachedrid Moths
BEDELLIIDAE-Bedelliid Moths
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-Metalmark Moths
COLEOPHORIDAE-Casebearer Moths and Relatives
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-Cosmopterigid Moths
COSSIDAE-Carpenter Moths, Goat Moths
CRAMBIDAE-Grass Moths, Snout Moths
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-Hook-tips and Thyatirid Moths
ELACHISTIDAE-Grassminer Moths and Relatives
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-Gelechiid Moths; Twirler Moths
GEOMETRIDAE-Geometer Moths, Loopers
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-Sedge Moths
GRACILLARIIDAE-Leafblotch miner moths
HELIOZELIDAE-Shield bearer moths
HEPIALIDAE-Ghost or Swift Moths
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-Tent Caterpillar Moths, Lappet Moths
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-Slug Caterpillar Moths
LYONETIIDAE-Lyonetiid Moths
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-Mandibulate Moths
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-Minute leaf miners
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-Prominents
OECOPHORIDAE-Oecophorid Moths
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-Diamondback Moths
PRODOXIDAE-Yucca Moths
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-Plume Moths
PYRALIDAE-Pyralid Moths, Snout Moths
SATURNIIDAE-Giant Silkworm Moths
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-Schreckensteiniid Moths
SESIIDAE-Clearwing Moths
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-Window-winged Moths
TINEIDAE-Clothes moths
TISCHERIIDAE-Tischerid Moths
TORTRICIDAE-Leafroller Moths
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-Urodid Moths
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-Ermine Moths
YPSOLOPHIDAE-Ypsolophid Moths
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Saturniidae Members:
Actias luna
Anisota peigleri
Anisota senatoria
Anisota stigma
Anisota unidentified species
Anisota virginiensis
Antheraea polyphemus
Automeris io
Callosamia angulifera
Callosamia promethea
Callosamia securifera
Callosamia unidentified species
Citheronia regalis
Citheronia sepulcralis
Dryocampa rubicunda
Eacles imperialis
Hemileuca maia
Hyalophora cecropia
Samia cynthia
Syssphinx bicolor
Syssphinx bisecta
Anisota
Members:
Anisota peigleri
Anisota senatoria
Anisota stigma
Anisota unidentified species
Anisota virginiensis
65 NC Records
Anisota senatoria
(J.E. Smith, 1797) - Orange-tipped Oakworm Moth
view caption
Male
view caption
Female
view caption
Larva
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea
Family:
Saturniidae
Subfamily:
Caratocaminae
P3 Number:
890018
MONA Number:
7719.00
Other Common Name:
Orange-striped Oakworm
Comments:
One of four species in this genus that occur in North Carolina. Tuskes et al. (1996) placed
senatoria
and
peigleri
in the same species group (Senatoria), along with
finlaysoni
, which occurs in Canada.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes (1923), Ferguson (1971), Tuskes et al. (1996)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Forbes (1923), Ferguson (1971), Covell (1984), Tuskes et al. (1996), Wagner (2005)
Adult Markings:
Few, if any, characters exist that can be used to distinguish adult
senatoria
from
peigleri
(Tuskes et al., 1996). Females are also similar in color and possession of dark speckling to females of
Anisota stigma
and can be difficult to distinguish unless the hindwings are clearly in view: in
senatoria
, the hindwings are paler in color than the forewings and have only a faint trace of a medial line if any; in stigma, both sets of wings are similar in color and there is a definite medial line (Forbes, 1923; Ferguson, 1971). Males, like those of
A. viginiensis
and
peigleri
, are believed to be bee mimics, possessing translucent forewings and flying only during the day (Tuskes et al., 1996). Males of
senatoria
tend to have less transparent forewings than
virginiensis
and have straighter outer margins on both sets of wings (slightly concave in the hindwings; see illustrations in Covell, 1984).
Wingspan:
40 mm, males; 50 mm, females (Forbes, 1923)
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development:
Larvae -- Orange-tipped Oakworms -- are quite distinctive, possessing conspicuous longitudinal orange to yellow stripes on a black ground color, and lacking the small white tubercles found in
A. stigma
and
virginiesis
(Forbes, 1923; Ferguson, 1971; Tuskes et al, 1996; Wagner, 2005). Larvae of
A. peigleri
have similar yellow-on-black lines but possess a prominent rows of dorsolateral spines and generally have longer spines overall (Tuskes et al., 1996; Wagner, 2005).
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Probably occurs in all areas of the state except the High Mountains, where oaks become scarce
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
Immature 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:
Probably single-brooded in North Carolina, but our records for adults are too few to determine a clear pattern.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
North Carolina records come from primarily from dry upland habitats, including sandhills in the Coastal Plain and monadnocks in the Piedmont.
Larval Host Plants:
Larvae feed primarily on oaks. Ferguson (1971) lists records for the following species: White Oak, Northern Red Oak, Black Oak, Bur Oak, Scarlet Oak, Swamp White Oak, and Bear Oak. In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded on Scarlet Oak, Overcup Oak, Willow Oak, and Northern Red Oak. Wagner (2005) also lists maple, birch, hickory, chestnut, hazelnut, and beech, but we have not seen any evidence of these being used as hosts in our state. -
View
Observation Methods:
Males are diurnal and do not come to lights at night; the best way to observe them is through captive rearing or by attracting them to tethered or caged females. Females are also rarely observed (or correctly identified), but their attractedness to lights is not clear. Adults do not feed and do not come to bait. Larvae are strongly gregarious and are especially conspicuous during outbreak years.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
G5 [S4?]
State Protection:
Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments:
Populations are locally vulnerable to the effects of weather, outbreaks of disease, parasites, and predators, and to the effects of pesticides. However, given the commonness of their host plants, wide habitat range -- including suburban areas -- and statewide distribution, this species can easily recover from localized losses. In the Northeast, however, this species has declined, although still occasionally abundant (Wagner, 2012). Declines may be possibly due to parasitism by a Tachinid fly,
Compsilura concinnata
, that was widely introduced in the Northeast to control Gypsy Moths and other pest Lepidoptera. This fly represents a serious and pervasive threat for many species of moths and is suspected to be responsible for the marked declines in several Saturniids. While such impacts have not yet been documented in North Carolina,
Compsilura
has spread as far south as Virginia (Kellogg et al., 2003) and will probably continue to expand its range southward. The situation in North Carolina needs to be monitored.
Photo Gallery for
Anisota senatoria
- Orange-tipped Oakworm Moth
54 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-02
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-09-05
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-27
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-11-05
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-11-05
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: J. Perry on 2023-09-06
Stokes Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-08-31
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-08-20
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-08-06
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-08-06
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-07-03
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-06-29
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-30
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-20
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-20
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-08-18
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-08-11
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2021-11-06
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2021-11-06
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-30
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-08-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-19
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2021-08-08
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-07-15
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Autumn, Evelyn, and Simpson Eason on 2020-09-23
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-09-02
Buncombe Co.
Comment: