Moths of North Carolina
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Urola Members:
145 NC Records

Urola nivalis (Drury, 1773) - Snowy Urola Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Pyraloidea Family: CrambidaeSubfamily: CrambinaeTribe: ArgyriiniP3 Number: 800821.00 MONA Number: 5464.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Martinez and Brown (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a distinctive species that has the head and palps silvery-white above with chestnut- brown scales along the sides. The forelegs and antennae are also chestnut brown, while the thorax is mostly white with a faint line of brownish-orange scales near the center. The forewing is silvery-white and unmarked except for a single brownish-black spot near the middle of the inner margin, and a dark-brown to blackish terminal line on the outer margin. The fringe is golden-brown, while the hindwing is white with a prominent white fringe. Urola nivalis is similar to Argyria gonogramma, but the latter has two dark spots in the middle of the wing and two short costal streaks on the apical half of the wing.
Wingspan: 20 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Urola nivalis is a very common and widespread species in the central and eastern U.S. and adjoining areas of southern Canada (Manitoba; Ontario; Quebec; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia). In the U.S. this species is found in every state east of a line running from Arizona northeastward to North Dakota. It also occurs in the West Indies and portions of Mexico. This species occurs 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: This species flies year-round or nearly so in southern states such as Florida, Alabama and Texas, and mostly from May through September in the northern portion of the range. As of 2023, our records range from late-April through mid-October. Local populations in North Carolina appear to have two or three generations per year except in the higher elevations in the Blue Ridge.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records are mostly from residential and suburban neighborhoods, and fragmented landscapes with mixtures of fields, forests, and roadway and utility corridors.
Larval Host Plants: Urola nivalis has been generally reported to feed on 'grasses' (Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Solis 2008), but we are unaware of any specific studies or rearing records that document this or report specific grass host species. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This is a common species that occurs statewide and appears to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Urola nivalis - Snowy Urola Moth

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

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-28
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-02
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-07
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-04
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-21
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-14
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-07
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-03
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-17
Richmond Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-05-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-09-07
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-01
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-16
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-08-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-24
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-15
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-11
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-02
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-01
Montgomery Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-01
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-20
Guilford Co.
Comment: