Moths of North Carolina

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Idia aemula Hübner, 1814 - Common Idia

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Herminiinae

P3 Number:
930471

MONA Number:
8323.00

Other Common Name:
Waved Tabby

Comments: One of eighteen species recorded in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), twelve of which are found 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 (1954); Rings et al. (1992)

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

Adult Markings: A moderately small deltoid, similar in size to Idia americalis but more evenly shaded with smoky to yellowish-gray and not paler towards the base or along the costa. Lines are darker but not as heavy as in americalis. Both the orbicular and reniform are usually contrastingly pale yellow, although in some individuals the spots can be blackish and much darker than the ground color. The terminal line is broken into a series of spots, unlike the continuous line found in americalis (Forbes, 1954). Aemula is similar in pattern and forewing color to Idia "concisa" but has a more fuscous hindwing that is nearly concolorous with the forewing (Forbes, 1954). The median band of the forewing is also usually more diffuse in aemula than in "concisa" (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010).

Wingspan: 20-30 mm (Forbes, 1954)

Adult Structural Features: Like americalis and "concisa", aemula has relatively short palps, not reaching the vertex (Forbes' subgenus Epizeuxis). The third segment is blunt and blade-like with rough hair on the upper surface (Forbes, 1954).

Genitalia and other structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution:

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This one of our most ubiquitous species, occurring virtually all habitats found across the state.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are probably generalized detritivores, feeding on dead leaves, fungi, and other organic matter (Forbes, 1954; Wagner et al., 2011). Individuals have been found in the nests of squirrels, mice, and hornets, and in earthball fungi (Wagner et al., 2011). They appear to commonly skeletonize dead leaves, but the caterpillars have rarely been found in the wild. John Petranka successfully reared an adult from Orange County. The larva was one of several that were found in what appeared to be a squirrel nest that had fallen from a tree. The leaves inside were heavily skeletonized and the larva fed to some extent on dead oak leaves before pupating. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to both black lights and bait. Even though the adults are common in many areas of the state, the L=larvae have only rarely been observed in the wild (Wagner, et al., 2011).

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

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

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Idia aemula - Common Idia

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

	Recorded by: G. Newman on 2025-11-17 Onslow Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-11-16 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-11-15 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-15 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-07 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-11-07 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-07 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2025-11-05 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-05 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson, John F. Jarvis, S. L. Reeves on 2025-11-05 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-22 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-12 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-12 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-10-05 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-10-01 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-09-28 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2025-09-27 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-12 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Larry Chen, Sarah Toner on 2025-09-06 Beaufort Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock on 2025-08-25 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P Morales on 2025-08-19 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-16 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-16 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-15 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-12 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-27 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-19 Mecklenburg Co. Comment: