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Hunting for Caterpillars (and their hosts)

Hunting for Caterpillars (and their hosts)

Nothing against butterflies, but moths are seriously underrated. Butterflies are but a strange, wonderful, and relatively small evolutionary branch of Lepidoptera, an order which is primarily made up of moths. Just look at our species totals for North Carolina: 178 species of butterflies and nearly 3,000 species of moths. We are continuously adding new moth species to the state list (the true moth biodiversity may be closer to 4,000 species), while the butterfly checklist remains static.


Intraspecific Body Size Variation in Macrolepidoptera as Related to Altitude of Capture Site and Seasonal Generation

Intraspecific Body Size Variation in Macrolepidoptera as Related to Altitude of Capture Site and Seasonal Generation



As a proxy for body size, forewing lengths of individual geometrids and noctuids were measured with respect to altitude of capture site in five species in North Carolina and one in Costa Rica. Number of specimens ranged 48–373 per species, number of capture sites 2–15 per species, and site altitudes ranged 2–2209 m. Forewing length in all six species increased significantly with increasing altitude at rates of ≈ 0.3–≈ 1.1 mm/500 m.


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A Survey of the Moths, Butterflies, and Grasshoppers of Four Nature Conservancy Preserves in Southeastern North Carolina

A Survey of the Moths, Butterflies, and Grasshoppers of Four Nature Conservancy Preserves in Southeastern North Carolina



Moths, butterflies, and grasshoppers were surveyed within four longleaf pine preserves owned by the North Carolina Nature Conservancy during the growing season of 1991 and 1992. Over 7,000 specimens (either collected or seen in the field) were identified, representing 512 different species and 28 families. Forty-one of these we consider to be distinctive of the two fire-maintained communities principally under investigation, the longleaf pine savannas and flatwoods.


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Inventory of Lepidoptera of the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsular Region of North Carolina

Inventory of Lepidoptera of the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsular Region of North Carolina



Moths and butterflies were sampled at monthly intervals over a one year-period at four sites within the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsular region: Pettigrew State Park, Goose Creek State Park, Jockey’s Ridge State Park, and Nag’s Head Woods Ecological Preserve. Goals were to characterize the lepidopteran fauna for the region as well as for the individual preserves.


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Assessment of risk to non-target macro-moths after Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki application to Asian Gypsy Moth in the Cape Fear region of North Carolina

Assessment of risk to non-target macro-moths after Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki application to Asian Gypsy Moth in the Cape Fear region of North Carolina



Ecological impacts of the use of the microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) to control the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar (L.)) and other forest pests have been documented for deciduous forest habitats in the northeastern United States  and mixed forest habitats in the Pacific Northwest.


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A New Species of Morrisonia (Noctuidae) From Southeastern North America

A New Species of Morrisonia (Noctuidae) From Southeastern North America



ABSTRACT: We describe Morrisonia triangula, (Noctuidae: Hadeninae: Orthosini) from material collected from Virginia to Texas. Illustrations of adults and their genitalia are provided. The generic placement is discussed.


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A new apameine genus and species from the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae)

A new apameine genus and species from the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae)



Cherokeea gen. n. is proposed for a rarely collected apameine moth species from the southern Appalachian Mountains, C. attakullakulla sp. n. It is recorded from foothills and lower montane habitats of North Carolina and Georgia where hill cane, Arundinaria appalachiana Triplett, Weakley & L.G. Clark is found. Adults and their genitalia are figured and a mtDNA barcode sequence is given.


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A revision of the genus Doryodes Guenée, 1857, with descriptions of six new species (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Catocalinae, Euclidiini)

A revision of the genus Doryodes Guenée, 1857, with descriptions of six new species (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Catocalinae, Euclidiini)



The genus Doryodes Guenée is revised to include ten species including six species described as new (D. desoto Lafontaine & Sullivan; D. okaloosa Sullivan & Lafontaine; D. fusselli Sullivan & Lafontaine; D. reineckei Sullivan & Lafontaine; D. broui Lafontaine & Sullivan; and D. latistriga Sullivan & Lafontaine). A key to species, descriptions, and illustrations of adults and genitalia are included.


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First North American Records of Porphyrosela minuta Clarke (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), with Notes on its Native Congener, P. desmodiella (Clemens)

First North American Records of Porphyrosela minuta Clarke (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), with Notes on its Native Congener, P. desmodiella (Clemens)



The South American moth Porphyrosela minuta Clarke (Gracillariidae) is documented for the first time in the United States, where it is already widespread. The larvae are leafminers of white clover (Trifolium repens L., Fabaceae). Adults and larval habits are compared with those of the native Nearctic P. desmodiella (Clemens), which mines leaves of several other legumes.We summarize and add to the known distribution and parasitoid records for both species.


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