Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFErebidae Members:
Zanclognatha Members:
44 NC Records

Zanclognatha pedipilalis (Guenée, 1854) - Grayish Zanclognatha Moth


Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930495.00 MONA Number: 8348.00
Comments: One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010; 2013; Wagner and McCabe, 2011), all of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A small, pale gray Deltoid. The ground color of the forewings is clay-color, dusted with darker gray (Forbes, 1954). The lines are all dark, fine, and single (i.e., not bordered or filled with white). The antemedian is excurved or nearly straight, and is even rather than waved or dentate. The postmedian is strongly excurved (more than usual) opposite the cell and somewhat pointed and even rather than dentate. The subterminal is straight and somewhat oblique, running from the inner line towards the apex but not quite reaching it. A dark terminal line is also present, accented at the apex and with a distinctive luteous spot located just above it. Hindwings are similar in color and pattern. Zanclognatha cruralis is similar in having an even antemedian line, but the subterminal line is bicolored -- black bordered with pale -- and runs completely across the wing; the apex in cruralis also lacks the luteous dot characteristic of pedipilalis.
Wingspan: 30 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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: Most of our records come from mesic forests, including cove forests and northern hardwoods in the Mountains and bottomland hardwoods in the Piedmont; a few also come from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on dead leaves and detritus (Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Zanclognatha pedipilalis - Grayish Zanclognatha Moth

Photos: 21

Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-06
Alleghany Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-05-31
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-09
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-06
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-14
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2021-08-11
Alleghany Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-18
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-11
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-05-30
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2019-09-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-15
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-05-27
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-05-11
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2016-06-14
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2014-09-25
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2011-05-22
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2011-05-12
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: E. Corey on 2007-07-12
Ashe Co.
Comment: