Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Haploa Members:	178 NC Records

Haploa clymene (Brown, 1776) - Clymene Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Arctiinae

Tribe:
Arctiini

P3 Number:
930341

MONA Number:
8107.00

Other Common Name:
Clymene Haploa

Comments: One of six species currently recognized in North America, all of which occur in North Carolina.

Identification

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

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: Unmistakeable. Hind-wings are bright orange or yellow, which is true only for this species and colona among the Haploas. The forewings are cream or whitish and outlined on all margins with black (usually interrupted at the wing angles). Differs from colona and other Haploas in possessing a strong spur projecting up from the inner margin in the postmedial area and usually lacking black lines or spurs running downward from the costa (a line or spur may rarely be present in the antemedian area, but the yellow hindwing and strong postmedial spur should still distinguish clymene from any of other Haploa). Appears to lack any form that has completely pale forewings (as is occurs in colona and other Haploas).

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

Immatures and Development: Larvae are yellow and black striped with sparse hair and warts, as is true for several other Haploas. Clymene larvae tend to be more yellow-brown -- including stripes and lateral spines -- than the other species and have more confluent spiracular and subspiracular stripes (Wagner, 2005).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Probably occurs statewide

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: Has a single, mid-summer flight in all parts of the state

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: We have records from a wide variety of open and wooded habitats, ranging from maritime forests and barrier island dunes, to riparian forests, and to dry ridges and barrens. We do not have any records, however, from peatlands or the most xeric types of sandhills. Records from Longleaf Pine communities are also generally sparse.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are probably polyphagous, feeding on many species of herbaceous and woody plants, but possibly preferring species in the Asteraceae and Boraginaceae (Forbes, 1960; Wagner, 2005). Covell (1984) specifically lists thoroughwort (Eupatorium), peach (Prunus persica), oak (Quercus), and willow (Salix). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: Comes moderately well to blacklights, but none of our records come from bait; flushes easily during the day and appears to be at least partially diurnal.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands

Comments: This species is widely distributed over the state and occupies a broad set of habitats, and is apparently secure.

Photo Gallery for Haploa clymene - Clymene Moth

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

	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-25 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-25 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-07 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-04 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-26 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-28 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-12-28 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-18 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-08 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-23 Davidson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2023-07-23 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-20 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-20 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-16 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: D. Hatalski, K. Bischof on 2023-07-14 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-12 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-07-12 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-07-10 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-10 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-09 Davidson Co. Comment: