Moths of North Carolina
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917 NC Records

Idia americalis (Guenée, 1854) - American Idia Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930469.00 MONA Number: 8322.00
Comments: One of eighteen species recorded in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010), twelve of which are found in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A moderately small deltoid with a blue-gray ground color, particularly in the basal area and along the costa; the area beyond the reniform may be shaded with yellow or with darker fuscous in some individuals. The lines are dark black and strongly waved or dentate and expanded towards the costa. The orbicular is yellowish and reniform consists of a yellow crescent followed by a reddish-orange patch (Forbes, 1954). A continuous black terminal line exists, followed by a checkered fringe.
Wingspan: 20-30 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: Like aemula and "concisa" (Forbes' subgenus Epizeuxis), americalis has relatively short palps, not reaching the vertex. The third segment is blunt and blade-like with rough hair on the upper surface (Forbes, 1954).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Occurs statewide
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records come from forested habitats, including maritime forests, swamp forests, mesic slopes, and dry ridges. Some also come from open habitats, but usually from areas with forests located nearby.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on dead leaves, detritus, and lichens (Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Observation Methods: Comes readily to bait and to blacklights
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S5
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 americalis - American Idia Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-11-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-17
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-11-10
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-29
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Michael Pirrello on 2023-10-28
Nash Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-12
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-09-26
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Avery Young on 2023-09-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2023-09-25
Caswell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-09-24
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-14
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-01
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-30
Polk Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-15
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-06
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-07-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-09
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment: