Moths of North Carolina
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Renia Members:
249 NC Records

Renia discoloralis Guenée, 1854 - Discolored Renia Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: HerminiinaeP3 Number: 930532.00 MONA Number: 8381.00
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: This is the largest of our species of Renia. The pattern is extremely variable, with the coloration ranging from fairly uniform to strongly contrasting. In the contrasting form, the median and subterminal areas are dark brown with the basal, postmedian, and marginal areas pale yellowish (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian and postmedian lines are dark, excurved and strongly scalloped. The subterminal is pale and irregular, with inward bends opposite the cell and in the fold with outward bulges in between; sometimes represented by a series of dots. The orbcular is a small, pale dot. The reniform is yellowish and contrasting with two darker dots that are sometimes fused. In melanic forms, the forewings are dark brown with the lines and spots obscure. The hindwings are fuscous with a dark postmedian and paler subterminal. The undescribed species near discolorais is very similar and size measurements are useful in separating the two. All other members of this genus are even smaller.
Wingspan: 35 - 45 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult Structural Features: In males, the shaft of the antenna before the tuft is usually 7 mm long, with the portion after the tuft only 3 mm long. The apex of the forewing is somewhat falcate; the outer margin is oblique.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
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
Flight Comments: Adults fly mainly in July and August, in between the flights of the udescribed species
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come almost entirely from hardwood forests, and mostly from wet to mesic stands.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on dead leaves and other detritus (Wagner et al.,2011) - View
Observation Methods: Comes to blacklights and probably also to bait
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 Renia discoloralis - Discolored Renia Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-30
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-09-26
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-09-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-24
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-10
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-10
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-08-10
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, David George on 2023-08-05
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-31
Madison Co.
Comment: 		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: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2023-07-24
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2023-07-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-02
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-06-01
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-06-01
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2022-09-17
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-09-04
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-20
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-10
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-09
Rockingham Co.
Comment: