Moths of North Carolina

sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
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Antispila isabella MONA_number: 236.00		In this species, the head is golden and the antenna purplish brown. The forewing varies from brownish-black to purplish-black and has a complete silvery white to light golden fascia at about one-fourt...	Local populations are found in habitats with native grapes, including forests, forest edge habitat, stream banks, early successional habitats and other disturbed sites....	The larvae are specialists on grapes. Nieukerken et al. (2012) reported that the known hosts are Summer Grape (Vitis aestivalis), Fox Grape (V. labrusca) and Riverbank Grape (V. ripa...	The adults occasionally visit lights, but are most easily obtained by rearing adults from grape leaves. ...		GNR S1S3	We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species within the state to assess its conservation status. ...
Acleris viburnana Viburnum Acleris MONA_number: 3527.00	Acleris viburnana was formerly treated as a subspecies of A. schalleriana, but was treated as a separate species by Gilligan et al. (2020), with A. schalleriana (sensu stricto) now restricted to the Palearctic region.	Acleris viburnana has a variable dorsal pattern, but usually can be recognizable based on external morphology. Most specimens have an overall reddish-brown color with a diffuse costal triangle ...	Local populations are commonly found in association with our native Viburnum species, which are commonly found in mesic to somewhat drier forests and forest edges. ...	This species appears to rely rather heavily on species of Viburnum as a food source (Clemens, 1860; Ferguson, 1975; Brown et al., 2008). The reported hosts include Choke Cherry (Prunus virgi...	The adults are attracted to lights and to sugar and wine bait. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	This species can be locally common at sites that support the host plants. ...
Acleris subnivana MONA_number: 3517.00		Acleris subnivana has several morphs that differ in color and patterning. The most commonly encountered form in North Carolina has the palps, head, thorax and ground color of the forewing varyi...	Our records are mostly from either from hardwood forests or from fragmented landscapes with mixtures of forests, fields and residential neighborhoods. ...	The hosts are poorly documented, but oaks appear to be the primary hosts (Prentice, 1966; Covell, 1984; Wagner et al., 1995a; Brown et al., 2008; Robinson et al., 2010; Lam et al., 2011). The reporte...	The adults are attracted to lights and wine and sugar bait. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S4S5]	This species can be locally common and appears to be relatively secure in North Carolina....
Acleris placidana Black-headed Birch Leaffolder Moth MONA_number: 3540.00		This species tends to be rather uniformly colored, with the most distinctive mark being a black longitudinal dash near the middle of the wing at about one-half the wing length. The palps, head, thorax...	Most of our records are from mesic hardwood forests or forest edges, particularly where species of birch are present....	The larvae feed on deciduous trees and shrubs, with birches serving as the primary hosts (Forbes, 1923; Meyrick, 1938; Prentice, 1966, Baker, 1972; Ferguson, 1975; MacKay, 1962; Brown et al., 2008; Ro...	The adults are attracted to lights and to wine and sugar bait, and the leaf folds are often conspicuous on the host plants. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S3S4]	This species is widespread and can be locally abundant in the Blue Ridge, but much less so in the Piedmont....
Acleris hudsoniana MONA_number: 3561.00		Acleris hudsoniana has several forms that differ in coloration and patterning. In what is perhaps the most common form, the palps, head, thorax and ground color of the forewings are ashy-gray. ...	Local populations are commonly associated with bogs and other wetland habitats. Two of our records as of 2024 are from a mountain bog in Ashe County. ...	Prentice (1966) reported that willows are the most common hosts in Canada. Other hosts included alders (Alnus), Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), White Spruce (Picea glauca), Balsa...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...		GNR[S1S2]	As of 2024, this seemingly rare species is only known from two sites in the Blue Ridge. ...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Hypena eductalis MONA_number: 8455.00	One of 29 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010). Fifteen species have been recorded in North Carolina.	...	Our records come from a variety of river and pond shorelines, bogs, and other wetlands, particularly where alders are common...	Larvae feed on Alder and River Birch (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S3S4	...
Hypena humuli Hop Vine Moth MONA_number: 8461.00	One of 29 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010). Fifteen species have been recorded in North Carolina.	The ground color is typically dull luteous in females and darker fuscous or reddish-brown in males (Forbes, 1954). A darker trapezoidal patch occurs in the median area below the costa but not reaching...	North Carolina records come primarily from rich mesic forests in the Mountains and brownwater river bottomlands and marl-rich wetlands in the Coastal Plain. ...	Larvae feed on members of the Urticaceae, including Hops, Nettles, and Wood Nettles (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S3S4	...
Hypena scabra Green Cloverworm Moth MONA_number: 8465.00	One of 29 species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010). Fifteen species have been recorded in North Carolina.	The forewings typically have a dark medial patch located below the costa, bordered to the front and towards the inner margin by a paler brown shade; females are typically lighter and more mottled than...	This is one of our most ubiquitous and omnipresent species. Habitats range from maritime dunes and forests on the barrier islands to high elevation stands of northern hardwoods....	Polyphagous. Larvae show a preference for members of the pea family but also feed on a wide range of other forbs, shrubs, and trees (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S5	...
Moodna pallidostrinella Paler Moodna Moth MONA_number: 6005.10		...	...	Feeds on Short-leaf Pine (Robinson et al., 2010)....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S5	...
Dasychira tephra Tephra Tussock Moth MONA_number: 8292.00	One of 16 species in this genus that occur in North America, 10 of which have been recorded in North Carolina.	Males are typically uniformly gray brown with olive shadings and little contrast between green and brown areas (Ferguson, 1978); the pale patch found along the costa and cell is usually missing in the...	The majority of our records come from wet to mesic hardwood forests, although there are also a few from dry sandhill or ridgetop habitats. In the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, it occurs primarily in ri...	Stenophagous, feeding primarily or exclusively on oaks (Ferguson, 1978; Wagner, 2005). Ferguson found at least one larva on Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) but reared it on White Oak (Q. alba). He a...	Appears to come well to 15 watt UV lights. Adults do not feed, so do not come to bait or to flowers. Larvae are distinctive and should be looked for in order to better document their host plants. T...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 [S5]	Widespread in fairly common habitat types in North Carolina and apparently secure....
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Renia fraternalis Fraternal Renia Moth MONA_number: 8385.00		The head, thorax, and ground color of the forewings are pale luteous gray in males and yellowish red-brown in females (Smith, 1895). The markings in the males are usually distinct but in females only ...	The vast majority of our records for this species come from dry-xeric woodlands and scrub, including maritime forests and dunes and pine-oak sandridges. A few records come from more mesic sites, inclu...	Feeds on dead leaves and other detritus (Robinson et al., 2010)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 S4S5	...
Acleris bowmanana MONA_number: 3553.00		Acleris bowmanana has numerous forms that differ in coloration and patterning. Some of the common forms include individuals that are almost entirely chocolate-brown with conspicuous, whitish or...	As of 2024 we have only two records, with one from a mountain bog. ...	This species appears to be polyphagous (Powell, 1964; Prentice, 1966; Ferguson, 1975; Brown et al. 2008), although rearing records are rather scant. The reported hosts include Black Chokeberry (Aro...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...		GNR SU	We have only two records of this seemingly rare species as of 2024. Much more information is needed on its distribution, abundance and habitat preferences before we can assess it conservation status w...
Acleris inana MONA_number: 3551.00		Acleris inana varies in coloration and patterning. In what is perhaps the most common phenotype, resting individuals have a dull, dirty-white, oval-shaped shield on the anterior half of the for...	As of 2024, we have records both from a mountain bog and a semi-wooded residential neighborhood. ...	The host plants are poorly documented. Ferguson (1975) and Brown et al. (2008) list records for an alder (Alnus sp.), a birch (Betula sp.) and a hazelnut (Corylus sp.). As of 2024...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We have only two records of this species as of 2024, and much more information is needed on its distribution, abundance and habitat preferences before we can assess it conservation status within the s...
Acleris maccana MONA_number: 3549.00	Acleris maccana occurs in North American and Eurasia, and BOLD sequencing data indicate that specimens from North America (Canada and the United States) and Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway) constitute a single, holarctic species (Gilligan et al., 2020).	Acleris maccana varies substantially in its dorsal patterning, with specimens commonly having a narrow, oblique band that helps to cleanly separate a predominantly light gray or otherwise light...	This species is generally associated with boreal forests and forest openings, including bog habitats. Our few records as of 2024 are from middle to higher-elevations sites, and typically with hardwood...	The larvae are polyphagous and feed mostly on deciduous shrubs and trees (McDunnough 1934; Meyrick, 1938; Bradley et al. 1973; MacKay, 1962a; Prentice 1966; Emmet, 1992; Spitzer et al. 2003; Brown e...	The adults are attracted to lights....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S2S3]	This mostly circumboreal species reaches its southernmost limits in the southern Appalachians in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina where it appears to be rare. More information is needed on...
Acleris variana Eastern Black-headed Budworm Moth MONA_number: 3548.00		Acleris variana has many highly variable color morphs (see MPG for representative examples). Many of the color forms have prominent reddish or orangish longitudinal bands that are margined with...	Our records as of 2024 are from mesic, middle- to high-elevation sites that support conifers such as hemlocks, spruce and fir....	The larvae feed primarily on spruces and firs but also use other taxa such as hemlocks (Forbes, 1923; McDunnough, 1934; Keen, 1952; Schaffner, 1959; Powell, 1964; Prentice, 1966; Maier et al., 2004; B...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S1S3]	This species seems to reach its southern limits in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee and appears to be rare in the state. As of 2024, we have only four site records, i...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Dasychira meridionalis Southern Tussock Moth MONA_number: 8298.00	One of 16 species in this genus that occur in North America, 10 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Ferguson (1978) treated meridionalis as a full species; formerly, it was considered a subspecies of basiflava (e.g., in Forbes, 1948). Ferguson also described three subspecies of meridionalis, of which D. meridionalis memorata occurs in North Carolina.	Dasychira meridionalis is similar in color and pattern to D. basiflava but slightly smaller: the length of the forewing for the paratypes ranges between 13 and 17 mm for males (up to 18mm in males of ...	Nearly all of our records come from swamp forests or bottomland hardwoods in the Coastal Plain. None come from peatlands and the few records we have from drier Longleaf Pine habitats are located near ...	Ferguson (1978) and Wagner (2005) both state that oaks are host plants (Ferguson also mentions that Louisiana specimens were reared on Chinese Elm). Based on our habitat records, members of the Laurel...	Our records for adults all come from 15 watt UV light traps; they do not feed, so do not come to bait or to flowers. Larvae are distinctive and should be looked for on low-growing trees and shrubs. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4G5 [S4]	This species appears to be a specialist on floodplain forests in the Coastal Plain, but these habitats are still widespread and the species currently appears to be secure in the state....
Pseudexentera haracana MONA_number: 3252.00	The genus Pseudexentera currently has 19 recognized species that are found primarily in North and Central America, with 17 recognized species in the US. They are typically found in forested settings and most fly very early in the year. Many are challenging to identify, particularly the species with fasciate forewing patterns that often show substantial intraspecific variation in patterning and have slight differences in genitalia (Miller, 1968; Gilligan et al., 2008). There has been a long history of misidentified species in the group (Miller, 1968) and there is still much confusion about external traits that are useful in sorting out certain closely related forms. DNA barcoding has not proven to be particularly useful in sorting out species since recognized species often have two or more BINS that contain multiple species names. This likely reflects weak genetic differentiation between certain forms and the large numbers of misidentified specimens in collections. Miller (1968) conducted a taxonomic revision and reviewed all of the recognized species in North America, but did not provide detailed descriptions of external coloration, patterning, or intraspecific variation within species. Here, we treat our assignment of the fasciate specimens to species as provisional since they are based on images or pinned specimens that have not been barcoded or dissected to examine genitalia. Even with the latter, specimens cannot always be confidently assigned to species.	The head, palps, antenna, and thorax vary from medium brown to blackish-brown. The forewing has a light brown ground color that is overlain with a dark basal patch that covers a third or more of the f...	Local populations are found in hardwood or mixed hardwood forests with chestnuts and oaks. They also occur in residential neighborhoods where the host plants are present. ...	The larvae feed on members of the Fagaceae, including chestnuts (Castanea spp.) and oaks (Miller, 1986; Brown et al., 2008). The specific species of oaks that are used are poorly documented and...	The adults occasionally visit light during March and April. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina, but we currently do not have sufficient data on habitat requirements, host use, and abundance to accurately assess its conservation status within...
Scoparia dominicki MONA_number: 4720.00		Scoparia dominicki is a member of a sibling species complex and its external coloration and patterning is indistinguishable from that of S. basalis. In both species the basal and interfa...	Our records are mostly from sandy, xeric habitats in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain. ...	The larval feeding ecology and food resources are undocumented. ...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S4]	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina, but much more information is needed on its distribution, abundance and food resources before we can accurately assess its conservation status. ...
Leptostales ferruminaria Light-ribboned Wave MONA_number: 7180.00		...	We have several records from a diabase barren, but also from lakeshore and hardwood forest habitats....	Host plants appear to be unknown....	...		G5 S2S3	...
Orthosia hibisci Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth MONA_number: 10495.00	One of 22 species (two others provisional) that occur in this genus north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 210); five have been recorded in North Carolina	Very similar in coloration and patterning to alurina but usually has a continuous and distinct pale subterminal preceded by dark bars (Forbes, 1954)....	Our records come from all types of hardwood forests across the state, from maritime forest on the barrier islands to northern hardwoods on the tops of our highest peaks....	Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on both hardwoods, conifers, and shrubs (Wagner et al., 2011)....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Exyra semicrocea MONA_number: 9024.00	One of three members of this genus, all of which are highly associated with Pitcher Plants in the genus Sarracenia, which occurs only in eastern North America. All three species have been recorded in North Carolina. This genus was formerly placed in the Acontiinae (e.g., Forbes, 1954) but was moved to the Plusiinae by Lafontaine and Poole (1991).	A medium-small, black-and-yellow Noctuid. The head and front half of the thorax are dark, blackish brown, differing from the crimson-and-yellow found in Exyra fax but very similar to the pattern shown...	All of our records come from peatlands, including Low Pocosin and Pocosin Openings; peaty areas in Wet Pine Savannas and Sandhill Seeps; and from boggy, sediment-filled portions of beaver ponds and ot...	Stenophagous, feeding only on Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia spp.) but apparently using all seven species in that genus (Jones, 1921; Lafontaine and Poole, 1991). ...	Comes well to blacklights. Both adults and larvae can be found by inspecting the tubes of their host plants....	Listed as Significantly Rare by the Natural Heritage Program. That designation, however, does not confer any legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G3G4 S2S3	This species, along with other members of this genus, is highly specialized on a habitat type that naturally had a extremely patchy distribution and that underwent a severe reduction in both its range...
Acleris maculidorsana Stained-back Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3543.00		This is a distinctively marked Acleris with resting individuals having a silvery-gray, donut-shaped pattern that encloses a horse-shoe-shaped chestnut-brown mark. The palps, head and antennae a...	Most of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, and most from sites with mesic hardwood communities present or nearby. ...	This species is probably polyphagous, but the host records are rather sparse. The reported hosts include Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), St. John's-wort (Hypericum), including Com...	The adults are attracted to lights and are attracted to bait. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S3S4]	This species can be locally common in the Blue Ridge at mid- to lower-elevations, but is generally uncommon in the state -- with fewer than 15 site records as of 2024. More information is needed on it...
Acleris flavivittana Multiform Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3542.00		As the name implies, the Multiform Leafroller (Acleris flavivittana) exhibits a wide range of phenotypes or morphs and is best identified by genitalia. Once a genitalia-based library of morphs ...	Most of our records are from mesic forests or forest edges with mixed deciduous hardwoods. ...	Information on host plants is scarce. The known hosts include commercial apples (Malus pumila) and Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica; Chapman and Lienk, 1971; Ferguson, 1975; Brown et al....	The adults are attracted to lights....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S3S4]	The species can be locally common at lower-elevation sites in the Blue Ridge. ...
Acleris chalybeana Lesser Maple Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3539.00		The following description is based in part on those of Fernald (1882) and Forbes (1923) and is most relevant to North Carolina specimens. The palps and head are light tan, while the thorax is concolor...	This species is generally associated with hardwood forests, particularly those where maples are well-represented. ...	Maples appear to be an important host group, but several other deciduous hardwoods are used (Ferguson, 1975; MacKay, 1962; Geise et al., 1964; Prentice, 1966; Covell, 1984; Drooz, 1985; Brown et al., ...	The adults are attracted to UV lights, and will visit bait during the cooler months of the year....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S3S4]	This species can be locally abundant in the Blue Ridge, but is uncommon in the Piedmont....
Acleris robinsoniana Robinson's Acleris Moth MONA_number: 3536.00		We have two common color morphs in North Carolina, with local populations often being predominantly one or the other. In the first, resting individuals have a dull, silvery-gray, oval-shaped shield on...	Specimens in North Carolina commonly occur in semi-wooded residential areas in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont, and often with mesic woods present or nearby, while Coastal Plain populations frequent botto...	The host species are poorly documented, with Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and California Wild Rose (Rosa californica) being the only reported hosts that we are aware of in the lit...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S2S3]	This species is uncommon in the state, but can be somewhat locally common at some sites. ...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acleris pulverosana MONA_number: 3531.00	Based primarily on genetic differences, Gilligan et al. (2020) split populations in North America (now recognized as Acleris pulverosana) from populations in Eurasia (Acleris hastiana). They also note that populations of A. pulverosana in western North America show significant genetic differences from those in eastern North America, and that the two may represent different species. Here we treat all of the North American forms as A. pulverosana.	Acleris pulverosana exhibits a wide range of phenotypes or morphs (see MPG for examples) and is best identified by genitalia. Once a genitalia-based library of morphs are built for local or reg...	...	The larvae are polyphagous and feed mostly on trees and shrubs, with willows and other members of the Salicaceae appearing to be the most important hosts (Dyar 1904; Forbes 1923; Sheldon 1923; McDunno...	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S1-S3]	This species appears to be rare in North Carolina, where it reaches the south limit of its range in the eastern U.S. As of 2024, we currently have only two site records for the state. More information...
Aristotelia lespedezae MONA_number: 1744.00	The genus Aristotelia contains over 150 species of small moths that are found worldwide, with around 34 species in North America.	The following description is based primarily on that of Braun (1930). The head and thorax are brown and the face whitish. The antenna is uniformly black with whitish annulations along its entire leng...	This species exploits lespedezas, which are typically found in sunny or partially sunny sites with mesic to drier soils. Typical habitats include roadways and logging roads, woodland borders, weedy fi...	The only known host is Hairy Lespedeza (Lespedeza hirta), but other lespedezas are probably used (Braun, 1930)....	The adults are attracted to lights. More information is needed on the host plants and the larval ecology, so we encourage individuals to rear adults and document host use. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species within the state to assess its conservation status. ...
Sinoe kwakae MONA_number: 1834.20	Sinoe was traditionally treated as a monotypic genus that is restricted to the eastern US. It has since been split into four species. In a revision of the genus, Lee and Brown (2012) redescribed S. robiniella and recognized two additional species (S. chambersi; S. kwakae) that occur in North Carolina.	The following is based on the description in Lee and Brown (2012). The head is white with a mixture with gray and brown scales, while the thorax is gray mixed with white scales. The antenna is brown a...	The habitat requirements for this newly described species are unknown. ...	The hosts are unknown. ...	Adults occasionally visit lights, but the larvae have not been discovered to date and are in need of study....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of populations within the state to assess the conservation status of this species....
Sinoe robiniella MONA_number: 1834.00	Sinoe was traditionally treated as a monotypic genus that is restricted to the eastern US. It has since been split into four species. In a revision of the genus, Lee and Brown (2012) redescribed S. robiniella and recognized two additional species (S. chambersi; S. kwakae) that occur in North Carolina.	The following is based on the description in Lee and Brown (2012). The head and thorax are white with a mixture with gray and brown scales. The antenna is brownish gray and about two-thirds the length...	Local populations appears to primarily use Black Locust as a host, but other species are also used. Black Locust is common in edge habitats such as along roadways or fencerows, but also occurs in mesi...	Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is the primary host throughout the range. There appears to be a valid record of this species using a Gleditsia species (Lee and Brown, 2012), and Robi...	The adults occasionally visit lights, and the bound leaflets have been found on Black Locust and occasionally on other hosts. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of populations within the state to assess the conservation status of this species. ...
Morrisonia confusa Confused Woodgrain Moth MONA_number: 10521.00		The ground color is dull gray-brown; in light specimens, dusted and streaked on a luteous background (Forbes, 1954). A black basal dash is present and a dash above the inner margin. The antemedian is ...	Woodlands and forests (Wagner et al., 2011). Our records come from maritime forests, pocosins, bottomland hardwoods, mesic slopes, and northern hardwoods....	Larvae are polyphagous on a wide range of woody species, including hardwood trees and shrubs and with conifers and forbs sometimes reported (Wagner et al., 2011)....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4S5	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Cosmopterix floridanella MONA_number: 1497.00		...	...		...			...
Bondia crescentella MONA_number: 2319.00		...	...	The hosts are apparently undocumented....	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
Endothenia hebesana Verbena Bud Moth MONA_number: 2738.00		...	...	...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S4S5	...
Euthyatira pudens Dogwood Thyatirid Moth MONA_number: 6240.00		...	...	Larvae feed on Dogwoods, particularly Cornus florida (Wagner, 2005)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4	...
Colocasia flavicornis Yellowhorn Moth MONA_number: 9184.00		...	Records from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain come from floodplain forests and mesic hardwood forests growing on slopes. In the Mountains, records come from alluvial forests and cove forests....	Larvae have been collected on Beech in the field but have also been reared on American Hornbeam and Birch in captivity...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4S5	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Cleora sublunaria Double-lined Gray Moth MONA_number: 6594.00	This genus occurs over much of the world but in North America there are only two species and both occur in North Carolina.	Moderately long-winged and similar in pattern and coloration to other Geometrids loosely termed the Grays. Usually easy to distinguish by its strong, black, and double-lined antemedian and by a white...	We have records from a fairly wide range of Coastal Plain habitats. A number of records come from Maritime Forest and Maritime Scrub communities on the Barrier Islands, as well as from mainland areas...	Recorded from cherry, oak and Myrica, and presumed to feed on many other woody plants (Wagner et al., 2001). In our experience, they are on almost any plant you beat in the spring, although at least ...	Adults readily come to lights but not to baits. The caterpillars are among the most common species found on plants in late April and May. They may be found on almost all edible plants one searches!...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4S5	Caterpillars are abundant and adults are common in the lower eastern half of North Carolina. Doubtless they are common in the upper half as well but we have no records....
Acleris macdunnoughi MONA_number: 3506.00		Acleris macdunnoughi has two common color morphs. The first has ashy-gray coloration on the palps, head, and thorax. The forewing ground is also ashy-gray, with the only obvious mark being a br...	This species appears to be associated with wet, sunny habitats and the edges of mesic forests. In North Carolina it appears to be restricted to middle and higher-elevational sites in the Blue Ridge. ...	The hosts are poorly documented, with the reported hosts including a blackberry (Rubus sp.), Broadleaf Meadowsweet (Spiraea latifolia), a blueberry (Vaccineum) and a willow (Sa...	The adults are attracted to lights....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S1S3]	This species has northern affinities and appears to reach its southmost limits in the southern Appalachians where it is found in middle to higher-elevation communities....
Acleris curvalana Blueberry Leaftier Moth MONA_number: 3504.00		As with many Acleris species, the adult patterning is variable. In the most common form the palps and head are lemon-yellow, while the thorax is concolorous, but often with variable amounts of ...	As of 2024, our records are from heath thickets with blueberries and huckleberries, either in coastal communities or at mid- to higher elevations in the mountains. ...	The larvae feed primarily on blueberries and huckleberries, including cultivated varieties of Vaccinium, of which it is considered a major pest (Gillespie, 1981; Ponder and Seabrooke, 1988). In...	The adults are attracted to lights and the tied terminal leaves can be found on blueberries. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S4]	This species appears to be uncommon in the state, with specimens coming from both coastal and mountain communities with blueberries and huckleberries. ...
Acleris semipurpurana Oak Leaftier Moth MONA_number: 3503.00		Acleris semipurpurana has several color forms, with most involving the variable expression of a purplish-brown central region on a lemony-yellow to yellowish-white ground color. The palps, head...	The majority of our records come from semi-wooded residential areas, where either oaks or cultivated plants such as roses and cherries could be used. The records from natural habitats come primarily f...	Oaks appear to be the primary hosts, but other hosts are occasionally used (Forbes, 1923; Meyrick, 1938; Schaffner, 1959; Prentice, 1966; Nichols, 1968; Ferguson, 1975; Covell, 1984; Godfrey et al., 1...	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in lead folds and ties on oaks. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	This is a fairly common species in oak forests and appears to be relatively secure within the state. ...
Acleris albicomana Red-edged Acleris Moth MONA_number: 3502.00		Acleris albicomana is a distinctively marked Acleris that has a series of four broad bands on the forewing, with the first two forming an oval-shaped mark on the basal half of the wing ...	In the eastern U.S. this species is generally associated with hardwood forests. As of 2024, all of our records are from hardwood forests or in close proximity to hardwood forests, including in areas w...	The larvae appear to be polyphagous (Kearfott, 1907b; Godfrey et al., 1987; Anonymous, 1989; Brown et al., 2008; Robinson et al., 2010), with oaks probably being the primary hosts in the eastern U.S. ...	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found in leaf ties on oaks. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S3]	This wide-ranging species appears to be rare in North Carolina, with our only recent records all from Ashe County. ...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Lithophane antennata Ashen Pinion MONA_number: 9910.00	One of 51 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 25 of which have been recorded in North Carolina	...	Wagner et al. (2011) list woodlands and forests as habitats for this species, with dry oak-hickory woodlands being especially used. We have records from both dry-xeric hardwood forests on ridgetops as...	Larvae are polyphagous on many hardwood trees and shrubs, with at least a few records from herbaceous species. They are also predaceous and will kill and consume the larvae of both moths and sawflies ...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4S5	...
Acleris nigrolinea MONA_number: 3556.00		The following is based in part on descriptions by Robinson (1869) and Forbes (1923). The palps, head, thorax and forewings are white and dusted irregularly with gray to produce an overall ashen gray a...	Our records are mostly from mesic hardwood forests or forest edge habitats, including semi wooded residential neighborhoods. ...	The primary hosts appear to be members of the Betulaceae and Salicaceae (Prentice, 1966; Robinson et al., 2010). The reported hosts include Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Paper Birch (	The adults are attracted to lights. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S3]	This species appears to reach its southern range limit in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, where scattered populations have been found in the region....
Elachista illectella MONA_number: 1129.00	Elachista is a large genus of small moths that occur worldwide. Around 135 Nearctic species are currently recognized. They specialize on monocots and most feed on either grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae).	This is a minute fuscous to black-and-white moth, with the females darker and more boldly marked than the males. A narrow white band is located at the middle of the wing and a broken white band also o...	The adults can be found in a variety of habitats that range from fields, meadows, and roadsides to forested sites with woodland grasses. ...	The larvae are polyphagous and feed on several genera of grasses (Braun, 1948). The known hosts include Kentucky Blue Grass (Poa pratensis) and other Poa species, Common Timothy (Ph...	The adults are attracted to lights and the leaf mines can be found by searching grass leaves throughout the year. ...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [SU]	We currently do not have enough information on the distribution, host plants, or habitat associations of this species to draw any conclusions about its conservation status. ...
Catocala illecta Magdalen Underwing MONA_number: 8840.00	One of 103 species in this genus that occur in North America (Gall and Hawks, 2010; Kons and Borth, 2015a,b), 67 of which have been recorded in North Carolina.	...	Our records come from woodland edges, old pastures, or other sites where Honey Locusts are likely to occur...	Larvae are monophagous on Honey Locust (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 [S2S4]	...
Plagodis phlogosaria Straight-lined Plagodis Moth MONA_number: 6842.00		The ground color of the forewings is bright orange ochre, with the median area often shaded in olive, and the subterminal area often dark and shaded with olive or pink (Forbes, 1948). The lines are da...	Forests and woodlands (Wagner et al., 2001). Our records come from primarily from montane hardwood forests but also from a few sites in the Piedmont, mostly from uplands stands....	Polyphagous, feeding on wide range of hardwood trees, including alder, apple, basswood, birch, cherry, hazelnut, oak, poplar, and willow (Wagner et al., 2001)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S4	...
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Phaecasiophora confixana Macrame Moth MONA_number: 2771.00	A large genus of some 37 species, primarily Oriental but with three species occurring in North America. All three species occur in North Carolina	Adults resemble species of Olethreutes but have dilated, tufted scaling on the hind tibia which is usually obvious when handling specimens. Adults are similar and maculation will usually allow identif...	It has been trapped in woodland habitats....	Larval host plant are unknown...	Adults have been recorded in light traps and are unlikely to be attracted to bait...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4	...
Psaphida electilis Chosen Sallow MONA_number: 10012.00		...	...	...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.		...
Scoliopteryx libatrix Herald Moth MONA_number: 8555.00		...	Our records come almost entirely from sites where willow-containing wetlands are present...	Larvae feed mainly on Willows, but also on poplars to some extent; birch has also been reported (Wagner et al., 2011)...	...	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 S3S4	...
Nascia acutellus Streaked Orange Moth MONA_number: 4937.00	BOLD has three BINS, with specimens from the southern Appalachians and coastal North Carolina being genetically distinct from those in the remainder of the range.	This species has a triangular forewing that varies from light yellow to orange or brown. The most distinctive feature is a series of broad, longitudinal, brown to reddish-brown streaks along the veins...	This species is common in grassy marshes in the Northeast (Munroe, 1976). Our limited records are mostly associated with wetlands, including a mountain bog in Ashe Co. and wetlands in the Piedmont whe...	The larval hosts are unknown but are probably sedges (Munroe, 1976). A closely related species in Europe (N. cilialis) specializes on sedges, including species of Carex and Cladium	This species appears to come well to blacklights....	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S4]	We have only five site records for the state as of 2023. Additional information is needed on habitat requirements, feeding ecology, distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess the conse...
Syssphinx bicolor Honey Locust Moth MONA_number: 7709.00	One of two species in this genus found in our area (six others occur in the western US -- Tuskes et al., 1996). Despite the rarity of this species along the Atlantic Coast, the type locality for Sphingicampa bicolor is North Carolina (Ferguson, 1971).	Both Forbes (1923) and Ferguson (1971) noted that Sphingicampa and Anisota species may be hard to tell apart. This is particularly true for the summer forms of S. bicolor, which resemble both A. stig...	The naturalness of the habitats used by S. bicolor in North Carolina is uncertain, since neither of the two host plants recorded for this species is believed to be native here (Alan Weakley, pers. com...	Brimley (1938) lists Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) as host plants. However, he did not mention any actual observations of larvae feeding on them i...	Comes to both blacklights and business lights fairly well; Parker Backstrom has observed up to three individuals at a time on several occasions. Adults do not feed, however, so do not come to bait. ...	Currently placed on the NHP Watch List as W3: seemingly rare species that are too poorly known to assess their conservation status in North Carolina	G5 S3?	The naturalness of the habitats used by this species still need to be assessed before its conservation status can be determined. If it makes use primarily of cultivated Gleditsia, particularly those c...