Moths of North Carolina
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22 NC Records

Sereda tautana (Clemens, 1865) - Speckled Sereda Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: GrapholitiniP3 Number: 621304.00 MONA Number: 3425.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based in part from that of Forbes (1923). The head, palps, and antennae are dark gray to brown. The forewing has a prominent outwardly angled basal patch that covers half of the wing. The patch varies from dark coppery brown to blackish brown and is most heavily pigmented on the distal margin where it adjoins a parallel, angulated, median fascia. The fascia is composed to two lead-colored stripes that originate on the costa, then angle back towards the inner margin where they broaden and become whitish. Beyond the median fascia there are two or three additional lead-colored stripes that start from paired white costal strigulae. The first terminates near the middle of the wing, the second runs all the way to the anal angle, and the third runs towards the termen. The apical half of the wing has numerous fine, dark, parallel vertical striae that run through the larger marks that are described above. There are five or six terminal black dots on the costal two-thirds of the termen, with the two at the apex decidedly larger than the others. The fringe is grayish brown, and the hindwing is brown with a lighter fringe that has a dark brown basal line.
Wingspan: 12 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Sereda tautana occurs in southern Canada (Saskatchewan; Manitoba; Ontario; Quebec; Nova Scotia) and much of the eastern US from Maine southward to Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Missouri, and Wisconsin. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, although it is less common in the Coastal Plain than elsewhere in the state.
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: The adults fly from February through June in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak in most areas in March and April. As of 2022, our records are from late-February through early April, with the exception of one unusual late record from early September.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come primarily from wet to mesic stands of oak-hickory forests.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on oaks (Brown et al., 2008; Prentice, 1966; Robinson et al., 2010), including Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) and Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3-S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be uncommon but widespread within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Sereda tautana - Speckled Sereda Moth

Photos: 27

Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-03-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-03-07
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-02
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-02
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-02-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-02-09
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams on 2022-03-11
Gates Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-06
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-06
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-04
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-04
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-03-13
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-03-11
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-03-11
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2021-03-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2021-03-04
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2021-03-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-02-25
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-04-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-04-05
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-03-10
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-03-10
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-03-10
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Robert Gilson on 2017-02-24
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2016-03-12
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2015-09-07
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2011-03-02
Camden Co.
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