Noctuidae

Epiglaea apiata Pointed Sallow

20 n=0 High Mt. N 10 u • m b e 0 • r 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 NC counties: 7 • Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec o 20 • • f n=0 • = Sighting or Collection Low Mt. High counts of: • in NC since 2001 F • = Not seen since 2001 l 10 18 - Brunswick - 1994-11-09 • i 11 - Brunswick - 1994-10-31 g Status Rank h 10 - Brunswick - 1994-10-31 0 NC US NC Global t 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 D Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec a 20 20 t n=0 n=39 e Pd CP s 10 10

0 0 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Three periods to each month: 1-10 / 11-20 / 21-31 FAMILY: Noctuidae SUBFAMILY: Noctuinae TRIBE: Xylenini TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: The genus contains two species found principally in the Eastern United States and in North Carolina. The two species are not closely related and E. decliva will eventually be moved to another genus.

FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: Covell (1984) ONLINE PHOTOS: TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Forbes (1954) TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES: Wagner et al. (2011)

ID COMMENTS: Very much like a Metaxaglaea species but the vestiture is finer and the lower lobe of the reniform contains a distinct black spot. The subterminal line is reddish in the medial portion and stands out.

DISTRIBUTION: All of our records come from the Outer Coastal Plain and Sandhills.

FLIGHT COMMENT: Univoltine, with records in October and November

HABITAT: All but one of our records come from Longleaf Pine habitats, including savannas, flatwoods, and sandhills. The one exception comes from an area of extensive peatlands, with no Longleaf Habitat located within several miles of the site. Most of the Longleaf sites where this species has been recorded also have imbedded pocosins, pond pine woodlands, or stands of Atlantic White Cedar, suggesting that apiata feeds on peatland heaths, as well as those associated with the sandier, more frequently-burned habitats characterized by the presence of Longleaf Pines.

FOOD: Recorded as cranberry and captive larvae feed on various Vaccinium. Reported to be a pest occasionally on cranberries. No specific hostplant records from North Carolina.

OBSERVATION_METHODS: Readily attracted to light and presumably comes to bait though records are lacking.

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: G5 [S3S4]

STATE PROTECTION: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

COMMENTS: This species appears to be associated with just a narrow range of Longleaf and peatland habitats, all of which have declined drastically since European colonization and which are still threatened in the state by continued habitat conversion and fire suppression. As with other species associated with fire-maintained habitats, we recommend that unburned patches of habitat -- refugia -- be spared during any one prescribed burn and that the rotation between burn units be long enough to allow for effective emigration/recolonization before the refugia are themselves burned.

March 2021 The Moths of North Carolina - Early Draft 1