Moths of North Carolina
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Protapamea Members:
13 NC Records

Protapamea louisae Quinter, 2009 - Louisa's Cane Cutworm

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: ApameiniP3 Number: 932361.00 MONA Number: 9454.30 MONA Synonym: Apameine, New Genus 1, Species 2
Comments: One of two species in this recently described genus (Quinter, 2009), both of which occur solely in eastern North America and have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Quinter (2009)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Quinter (2009)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized noctuid. The two species of Protapamea are very similar in overall forewing pattern, but the ground color is typically much darker in P. louisae and less warm brown than in danieli, with the ground color ranging from violet-gray to nearly black and nearly all markings obscured (Quinter, 2009). In the most clearly marked specimens, the reniform is a bright white that strongly contrasts with the darker ground color; the orbicular also is present at least as a slightly paler shade. Both the antemedian and postmedian lines are double, consisting of a light line bordered by black. The antemedian is undulating but the postmedian is smoother, with smaller dentations. The two lines converge towards the inner margin and there is a dark bar that connects the two approximately at the fold, with a paler area located between the bar and the inner margin. Black patches also occur on the basal sides of both the reniform and orbicular lines. In darker phase individuals, only traces of these patterns may be visible. Hindwings in both species are fuscous and paler than the forewings. Due to the variability but overlapping patterns of the wing markings, Quinter recommends that the species are best identified based on genitalic or larval features.
Wingspan: 29-30 mm (measured from illustrations in Mikkola et al., 2009)
Adult Structural Features: Quinter (2009) described this genus based on genitalic features that set it apart from other members of the Apameini. In particular, the sacculus and digitus of the two valves are asymmetrical, the corona is absent and the cucullus is reduced to a small membranous lobe (see other differences in both male and female genitalia that are described and illustrated in Quinter, 2009). Male P. louisae differ from P. danieli in possessing a larger, more triagonal cucullus and in having a prominent cluster of long spines in the vesica of the aedeagus. Females differ in the degree and pattern of the scerlotization of the bursae (see Quinter, 2009, for details).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Eggs overwinter and larvae hatch in the following spring once new growth of cane begins to emerge. Larvae feed externally on the developing axillary shoots of cane, hiding during the day in the leaf sheaths or in the litter on the ground near their host plants (Quinter, 2009). They also pupate on the ground just below the leaf litter. Larvae of both species of Protapamea can be found feeding on the same plant. Quinter describes a number of features that can be used to distinguish between them; most prominently, P. danieli has a strongly marked black spot with white borders located on the prothoracic shield that is missing or weakly developed in P. louisae; P. louisae conversely possess strong dark blotches along the side of the body that are not developed in P. danieli (Quinter, 2009). Larvae have been collected on Giant Cane (Arundinaria gigantea) during May along the French Broad River and along secondary streams where the cane lines the streambanks.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Adults have been recorded in North Carolina at seven sites in the southern Mountains. All other records are from west of the Appalachians (see map provided by Quinter, 2009). Surveys for larvae have yielded several new populations in Madison and northern Buncombe Cos.
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
Immature 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: Our recent records of adults all come from July, including very fresh specimens.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitat and species of cane where Franclemont collected his specimen is unknown, but he also collected specimens of Cherokeea attakullakula, another cane-feeding species, in the same general area. Cherokeea, however, feeds on Hill Cane (Arundinaria appalachiana) growing up on slopes, whereas all other records for P. louisae are associated with Giant Cane (A. gigantea) which is a bottomland species.
Larval Host Plants: Stenophagous, feeding on species of Cane (Arundinaria spp.) (Quinter, 2009). All specimens from North Carolina were collected in the vicinity of Giant Cane (Arundinaria gigantea), upon which this species specializes. - View
Observation Methods: Except for the specimen collected by Franclemont in North Carolina (now apparently missing), no adults of this species had been collected or observed in the wild until 2018, when Jim Petranka photographed several individuals coming to lights at his house (Mikkola et al., 2009). While we previously speculated that the species may be poorly drawn to lights, that no longer appears to be the case. Several populations were located by using a beating sheet to collect larvae during the day. Nonetheless, it may be even easier to find larvae with headlamps at night after the larvae climb up onto the foliage to feed shortly after dark (Quinter, 2009), or by checking in leaf sheaths that are loosely attached to the stems.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Montane Cane Thickets
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: SR
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SH->[S1S2]
State Protection: 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.
Comments: Prior to 2018, Protapamea louisae had not been seen in North Carolina since Franclemont first found it at Highlands in the 1950s. This species is associated with Giant Cane and probably occurs only in riparian habitats in the Tennessee River basin.

 Photo Gallery for Protapamea louisae - Louisa's Cane Cutworm

Photos: 23

Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-19
Madison Co.
Comment: A reared adult from a larva collected on 2021-05-26 (see companion photo).
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-05
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-03
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment: A mid-stage larva (see companion photo of the adult that was reared from this specimen).
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment: Early instars are greenish, but the final instar is pale yellowish brown and has a different pattern.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-16
Madison Co.
Comment: This adult is from a caterpillar that was collected on 2019-05-16 and raised in captivity. Pupation occurred on 2019-06-10 and eclosion on 2019-06-28. See companion photo of caterpillar). 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: This specimen was collected from Arundinaria gigantea that was growing along the French Broad River and was identified by Eric Quinter. The specimen was raised on Arundinaria and the adult eclosed on 15 June, 2019 (see companion photos of the adult that eclosed on 15 June, 2019).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: Photo of a captive adult that eclosed on 15 June, 2019.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: Photo of a captive adult that eclosed on 15 June, 2019.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment: Collected and identity confirmed by dissection.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-06
Madison Co.
Comment: