Geometridae

Cleora projecta Projecta Gray

40 n=0 30 High Mt. N 20 u • m 10 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: 10 • • Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec • o 40 • • f n=0 • = Sighting or Collection 30 • Low Mt. High counts of: • in NC since 2001 F • = Not seen since 2001 l 20 37 - Brunswick - 1994-03-19 • i 10 24 - Brunswick - 2006-04-24 g Status Rank h 24 - Pender - 1995-04-17 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 40 40 t n=0 n=89 e 30 Pd 30 CP s 20 20

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: Geometridae SUBFAMILY: TRIBE: TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: This genus occurs over much of the world but in North America there are only two species and both occur in North Carolina

FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: Covell (1984) ONLINE PHOTOS: TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Forbes (1948; as C. manitoba) TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES: Wagner et al. (2001)

ID COMMENTS: Moderately long-winged and similar in pattern and coloration to other Geometrids loosely termed the Grays. Usually easy to distinguish by its strong, black, and double-lined antemedian and by a white basal ring or bar on the abdomen followed by black patch. In Anavitrinella and a few of the Iridopsis that have contrasting rings at the base of the abdomen, the black bar is basal to the pale ring and none have a doubled antemedian line. While both species in the genus look quite similar, the frons is usually white in males and many female C. sublunaria and gray in C. projecta.

DISTRIBUTION: Most of our records come from the southern half of the Coastal Plain, with just a few from farther north. Not reported from other parts of the state.

FLIGHT COMMENT: Has a single spring flight period.

HABITAT: All of our records for this species come from areas where peatland shrubs are present or located nearby. These include peatland habitats themselves, including Pocosins, Pond Pine Woodlands, and stands of Peatland White Cedars. The also include Longleaf Pine flatwoods and savannas -- which usually adjoin peatlands as well as supporting some of the peatland shrubs themselves -- and also Small Stream Swamps and Sandhill Streamhead Swamps, where the same conditions exist.

FOOD: Wagner et al. (2001) list Cherry, , and Gale, which they also list for C. sublunaria. While Black Cherry occurs marginally in habitats where we have recorded projecta, none of these host plants seems likely for projecta and may represent confusion with the larvae of sublunaria. Some species of peatland shrub seems much more likely to be the host plant. Myrica gale, one of the stated host plants for this species, occurs in acidic bogs but is restricted to the Mountains in North Carolina (where it may be extirpated). In the Coastal Plain, several species of Morella (= Myrica -- see Weakley, 2015) occur in peatland and flatwoods habitats and may be possibilities.

OBSERVATION_METHODS: Adults readily come to lights but not to baits.

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: G4 [S3]

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 far more of a habitat specialist than sublunaria, being highly restricted to peatlands and other areas where peatland shrubs occur. Currently such habitats are plentiful in the Coastal Plain, although large areas have been lost due to drainage and conversion to agriculture and silviculture. Some of the largest peatdome pocosins, moreover, are vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise. Although this species appears to be secure for at least the moment, its long term prognosis is less certain.

March 2021 The of North Carolina - Early Draft 1