Moths of North Carolina

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Idia lubricalis (Geyer, 1832) - Glossy Black Idia

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Herminiinae

P3 Number:
930482

MONA Number:
8334.00

Comments: One of eighteen species recorded in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), twelve of which are found in North Carolina.

Species Status: This is likely a complex of three or more species, based both on size differences and DNA barcoding.

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: Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: This species -- or at least some of the members of this complex -- is fairly large for an Idia. The ground color is typically a dark umber shade and crossed by sharply dentate, clay-colored lines (Forbes, 1954). The orbicular may be yellowish, when present. The reniform is luteous but nearly filled with a fuscous lunule, often leaving only an inner edge marked in yellow. The hindwings are usually much paler, with a dirty fuscous ground color, and crossed by two vague fuscous shades.

Wingspan: 25-35 mm in Eastern specimens (Forbes, 1954). Some of the forms in this complex appear to be much smaller in size.

Adult Structural Features: Belongs to Forbes' subgenus Pseudaglossa, characterized by long palps -- reaching the vertex -- and with the third segement very long, conical, and smoothly scaled (Forbes, 1954).

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: Larvae have distinctive raised pinacula along the abdomen bearing peg-like setae; the setal bases alternate between black (D1) and tan/yellow (D2). On the thorax, smaller projections form a transverse band. Larvae are less than 2.5 centimeters in length and live in the leaf litter and rotting wood on the forest floor (Wagner et al., 2011). More study is needed to determine distinguishing characters between species, if Idia lubricalis is in fact a species complex.

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Occurs essentially statewide in North Carolina.

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: Wagner et al. (2011) report one principal generation and possibly a partial second generation across much of the East Coast, with mature larvae found from May to August.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Woodlands and forests (Wagner et al., 2011). Adults have been seen congregating during the day inside basements and hollow trees. Our records come from a wide variety of hardwood forests.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on fungi and lichens (Forbes, 1954) and possibly on detritus and foliage of living plants (Wagner et al., 2011). Numerous records from iNaturalist show larvae on rotting wood or in the leaf litter. - View

Observation Methods: Comes readily to bait and to blacklights.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

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:

Photo Gallery for Idia lubricalis - Glossy Black Idia

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

	Recorded by: R. Teper on 2025-09-05 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-07 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-06 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-08-31 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-08-15 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-03 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2024-07-14 Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Tony McBride on 2023-07-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-16 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-17 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-17 New Hanover Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-20 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-20 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-17 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-06 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-12 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-11 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-09-11 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2021-08-02 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-16 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-04 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-13 Guilford Co. Comment: