Insect
Shanded Gold Spot
Autographa metallicaAlso known as Metallic Autographa
Shaded gold spots navigate the cool conifer forests and coastal rainforests of western North America, flashing reflective metallic gold and bronze marks on their velvety forewings. Adults take flight primarily after dusk from late spring through late summer, seeking nectar at nocturnal blooms along woodland edges. Caterpillars feed on various forest understory plants and overwinter as larvae before spinning silk cocoons among fallen leaf litter.
NocturnalMothPollinator
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFlower Nectar
Predators
- Bats
- Songbirds
- Orb-weaver Spiders
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, pesticide use, artificial light pollution
HabitatsCoastal temperate rainforests, montane conifer woodlands, damp ravines
Life span1 year (egg to adult)
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNoctuidae
- GenusAutographa
- SpeciesAutographa metallica
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Harmless to humans; safe to observe at close range.
Responsible observation
- Lighting Lures: Set up a soft ultraviolet or mercury vapor light against a white sheet at night to observe them without causing injury.
- Daytime Searching: Check moist tree trunks and shaded foliage during the day, where resting adults rely on cryptic bronze forewings for camouflage.
Host Plant no rights reserved, uploaded by georgiasteel · cc0
Predator (c) Juan Cruzado Cortés, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Juan Cruzado Cortés · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) ingridaltmann, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Found in Collections
Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Shanded Gold Spot is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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