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Home , Epiglaea, Metaxaglaea inulta

Noctuidae

Metaxaglaea inulta Unsated Sallow

10 9 8 n=0 • • 7 High Mt. • • 6 N 5 • • u 4 3 • • m 2 • b 1 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: 11 • Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec o 10 f 9 n=13 = Sighting or Collection 8 • 7 Low Mt. High counts of: in NC since 2001 F 6 l 5 2 - Stokes - 1998-10-20 = Not seen since 2001 4 • i 3 2 - Orange - 2014-11-05 g 2 Status Rank h 1 2 - Madison - 2019-10-05 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 10 10 9 9 t 8 n=19 8 n=1 e 7 Pd 7 CP s 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 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: SUBFAMILY: Noctuinae TRIBE: TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: One of five species in this that occur in North America, all of which have been recorded in North Carolina.

FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012) ONLINE PHOTOS: TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Forbes (1954); Schweitzer (1979) TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES: Schweitzer (1979); Wagner et al. (2011)

ID COMMENTS: A medium-large Noctuid. Similar in size to other and also in possessing loose reddish hair on the thorax but only a low crest, if any. Easily distinguished from other Metaxaglaea and the similar by its evenly honey- to butterscotch-washed brown ground color, its contrastingly purplish-black antemedian and postmedian lines, and its lack of strong dentation on any of the transverse lines except for the terminal, which is strongly zig-zagged (the basal line may also have a tooth in some specimens). Also unlike other species of Metaxaglaea, the subterminal area is not contrastingly darker than the rest of the wing, but similar to other Metaxaglaea in that the orbicular and reniform are large, well-defined, and outlined by red.

DISTRIBUTION: All but one record from Fort Bragg in the Sandhills come from the Piedmont and Low Mountains

FLIGHT COMMENT: Univolitine, with the adults flying only in the fall.

HABITAT: Most of our records come from fairly low-lying areas, including riparian forests and lakeshores, where dentatum and prunifolium are the two most common species of likely host plants. We also have records from upland habitats in the Piedmont, where other species of Viburnum -- particularly Downy Arrow-wood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum)-- are common.

FOOD: Stenophagous, feeding on (Forbes, 1954; Schweitzer, 1979; Wagner et al., 2011). Wagner et al. state that Southern Wild Raisin, V. nudum is used especially. However, we have few records for inulta from blackwater or peatland habitats in the Coastal Plain where V. nudum is common. Records from the Piedmont and Low Mountains come from sites primarily where Arrow-wood Viburnums are likely host plants.

OBSERVATION_METHODS: Comes well to both blacklights and bait.

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: GNR [S4]

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

COMMENTS: This species is somewhat specialized in terms of both host plants and habitats, and in some areas it may have declined due to over-browsing of its host plants by deer. The scarcity of records in North Carolina is likely due, however, to its late season flight period. Since it still appears to occur over a wide area and in habitats that are still fairly common, we believe its populations are relatively secure in the state.

March 2021 The of North Carolina - Early Draft 1