Moths of North Carolina

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Macaria bicolorata (Fabricius, 1798) - Bicolored Angle

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Ennominae

Tribe:
Macariini

P3 Number:
91a0759

MONA Number:
6341.00

MONA Synonym:
Semiothisa bicolorata

Comments: This is one of 73 species in this genus that occur in North America, with 17 species occurring in North Carolina. In the latest checklist of North American Lepidoptera (Pohl and Nanz, 2023), North American members of the genus Speranza and Epelis were treated as junior synonyms of Macaria.

Species Status: Bicolorata is included in the conifer-feeding bicolorata species group by Ferguson (2008), of which bisignata, transitaria, distribuaria, minorata, and aequiferaria are the other members that occur in North Carolina

Identification

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

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

Technical Description, Adults: Ferguson (2008)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001)

Adult Markings: A moderately small Geometrid but one of the larger Macarias, bicolorata is two-toned brown to yellow-brown with the angled hindwing and slightly falcate forewing typical of this genus. All of the lines traversing the wing are weakly developed, diffuse, or absent except for dark spots along the costa. The subapical notch is comparatively shallow and narrowly edged with black; the spot blotch on the subterminal line below the apex is usually missing but occasionally represented by a single brown spot. The basal and medial areas are usually lighter and more yellowish, contrasting with the reddish or darker brown shading located between the postmedian and the outer margin. The underside of the wings are ocher and crossed with darker bands of reddish brown. As in other members of this species group, the head is red or ocher, contrasting with the paler gray thorax and abdomen.

Forewing Length: 12–16 mm, males; 14–17 mm, females (Ferguson, 2008).

Adult Structural Features: Males antennae are shortly fasciculate and nearly simple; foveae are absent, as they are in most members of this species group except aequiferaria (Ferguson, 2008).

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

Immatures and Development: With the exception of aequiferaria, larvae of the bicolorata species group are all similar to one another: glossy green or reddish with cream-colored subdorsal and subspiracular stripes that run the length of the body (see Wagner et al., 2001). Since both transitaria and bicolorata feed on a variety of pines, probably including Longleaf Pine that is also used by distribuaria, larvae need to be reared to adulthood to determine their species.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Occurs statewide, from the Barrier Islands to the High 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: Adults are present throughout the growing season, but there may be two main broods in the Mountains and Piedmont and possibly three in the Coastal Plain.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: We have records from virtually all pine-containing habitats in the state. Habitats where Loblolly is the most likely host include Maritime Forests, Coastal Fringe Evergreen Forests, and floodplain forests throughout the state. Habitats where Pond Pine is most likely include peat dome pocosins, where no other pine species is present. Over most of the uplands in the Coastal Plain, Longleaf is the most likely host, although Pond Pine is usually present in adjoining wetlands. In the Piedmont uplands, Virginia, Shortleaf, and loblolly are all possibilities. These same species are also preent in the montane habitats where bicolorata occurs, but there is also potential for Pitch Pine and other montane-restricted pines to be used, particularly on the higher ridges and rock outcrops.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on hard pines but probably on multiple species (Ferguson, 2008). Maier et al. (2011) specifically mention Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) and Pitch Pine (P. rigida), only the latter of which occurs in North Carolina and only in the mountains. Elsewhere in the state, a variety of other pines are likely to be used. - View

Observation Methods: Adults come well to 15 watt UV lights. We have no records from bait, however, or from flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Pine Forests and Woodlands

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: Widespread, using a wide variety of common host plants and a diverse range of habitats, this species appears to be quite secure.

Photo Gallery for Macaria bicolorata - Bicolored Angle

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-22 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-09 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-09-02 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-26 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-08-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-20 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-14 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-02 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-24 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-21 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-17 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-01 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-28 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-18 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-06 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-26 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kenneth Geisert, David Bradley, Julie Tuttle, Patrick Coin, Kaitlyn Elliott, Becky Watkins on 2024-08-17 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-29 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15 Chatham Co. Comment: