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Underwing Moths (Catocala)
Underwing moths, or simply underwings, are a genus of moths belonging to the family of Erebidae moths. Their name comes from the bright colors and distinct patterns of their hindwings. Even the name of their genus, Catocala, roughly translates to “beautiful hindwings” in Ancient Greek.
List of Species in this Genus
- Catocala abacta
- Catocala abamita
- Catocala actaea
- Catocala adultera
- Catocala aenigma
- Catocala aestimabilis
- Catocala afghana
- Catocala agitatrix
- Catocala amabilis
- Catocala amnonfreidbergi
- Catocala ariana
- Catocala armandi
- Catocala artobolevskiji
- Catocala bella
- Catocala bokhaica
- Catocala borthi
- Catocala brandti
- Catocala butleri
- Catocala catei
- Catocala chenyixini
- Catocala columbina
- Minsmere Crimson Underwing (Catocala coniuncta)
- Catocala connexa
- Catocala contemnenda
- Catocala conversa
- Catocala danilovi
- Catocala dariana
- Catocala davidi
- Catocala deducta
- Catocala dejeani
- Catocala desiderata
- Catocala detrita
- Catocala deuteronympha
- Catocala dilecta
- Catocala disjuncta
- Catocala dissimilis
- Catocala distorta
- Catocala diversa
- Catocala doerriesi
- Catocala dotatoides
- Catocala dula
- Catocala duplicata
- Catocala editarevayae
- Rosy Underwing (Catocala electa)
- Catocala ella
- Catocala ellamajor
- French Red Underwing (Catocala elocata)
- Catocala eminens
- Catocala eutychea
- Catocala flavescens
- Catocala florianii
- Catocala formosana
- Blue Underwing (Catocala fraxini)
- Catocala fredi
- Catocala fugitiva
- Catocala fulminea
- Catocala fuscinupta
- Catocala gansan
- Catocala giuditta
- Catocala haitzi
- Catocala hariti
- Catocala helena
- Catocala hoenei
- Catocala hoferi
- Catocala hymenaea
- Catocala hymenoides
- Catocala hyperconnexa
- Catocala inconstans
- Catocala infasciata
- Catocala intacta
- Catocala invasa
- Catocala jansseni
- Catocala jonasii
- Catocala jouga
- Catocala juncta
- Catocala jyoka
- Catocala kaki
- Catocala kasenko
- Catocala koreana
- Catocala kotschubeyi
- Catocala kuangtungensis
- Catocala kusnezovi
- Catocala lara
- Catocala largeteaui
- Catocala laura
- Catocala leechi
- Catocala lehmanni
- Catocala lesbia
- Catocala longipalpis
- Catocala lupina
- Catocala luscinia
- Catocala maculata
- Catocala mariana
- Catocala martyrum
- Catocala maso
- Catocala mesopotamica
- Catocala mirifica
- Catocala moltrechti
- Catocala musmi
- Catocala naganoi
- Catocala nagioides
- Catocala naumanni
- Catocala neglecta
- Catocala neonympha
- Catocala nivea
- Catocala nubila
- Red Underwing (Catocala nupta)
- Catocala nymphaea
- Catocala nymphaeoides
- Oak Yellow Underwing (Catocala nymphagoga)
- Catocala oberthueri
- Catocala obscena
- Catocala ohshimai
- Catocala olgaorlovae
- Catocala optata
- Turanga Underwing (Catocala optima)
- Catocala pacta
- Catocala paki
- Catocala patala
- Catocala pataloides
- Catocala persimilis
- Catocala pirata
- Catocala praegnax
- Catocala prolifica
- Light Crimson Underwing (Catocala promissa)
- Catocala proxeneta
- Catocala pudica
- Catocala pudica sabine
- Catocala puella
- Catocala puerpera
- Catocala puerperoides
- Catocala remissa
- Catocala repudiata
- Catocala rhodosoma
- Catocala seibaldi
- Catocala seiohbo
- Catocala separans
- Catocala separata
- Catocala sinyaevi
- Catocala solntsevi
- Dark Crimson Underwing (Catocala sponsa)
- Catocala sponsalis
- Catocala stamensis
- Catocala streckeri
- Catocala sultana
- Catocala svetlana
- Catocala szechuena
- Catocala tapestrina
- Catocala thomsoni
- Timur Underwing (Catocala timur)
- Catocala tokui
- Catocala toropovi
- Catocala triphaenoides
- Catocala uljanae
- Catocala viviannae
- Catocala weigerti
- Catocala wushensis
- Catocala xarippe
- Catocala xizangensis
- Catocala abbreviatella
- Agrippina Underwing (Catocala agrippina)
- Aholibah Underwing (Catocala aholibah)
- Alabama Underwing (Catocala alabamae)
- Catocala allusa
- Sweetheart Underwing (Catocala amatrix)
- Three-staff Underwing (Catocala amestris)
- Girlfriend Underwing (Catocala amica)
- Andromache Underwing (Catocala andromache)
- Gloomy Underwing (Catocala andromedae)
- Angus’ Underwing (Catocala angusi)
- Sweetfern Underwing (Catocala antinympha)
- Atocala Underwing (Catocala atocala)
- Bay Underwing (Catocala badia)
- Benjamin’s Underwing (Catocala benjamini)
- Charming Underwing (Catocala blandula)
- Briseis Underwing (Catocala briseis)
- Bluish-gray Underwing (Catocala caesia)
- Catocala californica
- Catocala californiensis
- Darling Underwing (Catocala cara)
- Carissima Underwing (Catocala carissima)
- Yellow-banded Underwing (Catocala cerogama)
- Catocala charlottae
- Catocala chelidonia
- Catocala cleopatra
- Clinton’s Underwing (Catocala clintoni)
- Scarlet Underwing (Catocala coccinata)
- Pink Underwing (Catocala concumbens)
- Connubial Underwing (Catocala connubialis)
- Consort Underwing (Catocala consors)
- Hawthorn Underwing (Catocala crataegi)
- Dejected Underwing (Catocala dejecta)
- Delilah Underwing (Catocala delilah)
- Desdemona Underwing (Catocala desdemona)
- Quiet Underwing (Catocala dulciola)
- Catocala electilis
- Epione Underwing (Catocala epione)
- Catocala faustina
- Mournful Underwing (Catocala flebilis)
- Catocala francisca
- Catocala frederici
- Graceful Underwing (Catocala gracilis)
- Grisatra Underwing (Catocala grisatra)
- Grote’s Underwing (Catocala grotiana)
- Woody Underwing (Catocala grynea)
- Habilis Underwing (Catocala habilis)
- Hermia Underwing (Catocala hermia)
- Herodias’ Underwing (Catocala herodias)
- Catocala hippolyta
- Beloved Underwing (Catocala ilia)
- Magdalen Underwing (Catocala illecta)
- Betrothed Underwing (Catocala innubens)
- Inconsolable Underwing (Catocala insolabilis)
- Irene’s Underwing (Catocala irene)
- Jair Underwing (Catocala jair)
- Jessica Underwing (Catocala jessica)
- Johnson’s Underwing (Catocala johnsoniana)
- Judith’s Underwing (Catocala judith)
- Joined Underwing (Catocala junctura)
- Tearful Underwing (Catocala lacrymosa)
- Lincoln Underwing (Catocala lincolnana)
- Lineella Underwing (Catocala lineella)
- Louise’s Underwing (Catocala louiseae)
- Shining Underwing (Catocala luciana)
- Sad Underwing (Catocala maestosa)
- Manitoba Underwing (Catocala manitoba)
- Marbled Underwing (Catocala marmorata)
- McDunnough’s Underwing (Catocala mcdunnoughi)
- Meske’s Underwing (Catocala meskei)
- Messalina Underwing (Catocala messalina)
- Little Nymph Underwing (Catocala micronympha)
- Little Underwing (Catocala minuta)
- Wonderful Underwing (Catocala mira)
- Miranda Underwing (Catocala miranda)
- Little Wife Underwing (Catocala muliercula)
- Myristica Underwing (Catocala myristica)
- Clouded Underwing (Catocala nebulosa)
- The Bride (Catocala neogama)
- Married Underwing (Catocala nuptialis)
- Obscure Underwing (Catocala obscura)
- Catocala ophelia
- Orba Underwing (Catocala orba)
- Old Wife Underwing (Catocala palaeogama)
- Mother Underwing (Catocala parta)
- Penitent Underwing (Catocala piatrix)
- Praeclara Underwing (Catocala praeclara)
- Precious Underwing (Catocala pretiosa)
- Texarkana Underwing (Catocala pretiosa texarkana)
- The Relict (Catocala relicta)
- Residua Underwing (Catocala residua)
- Yellow-gray Underwing (Catocala retecta)
- Yellow-fringed Underwing (Catocala retecta luctuosa)
- Robinson’s Underwing (Catocala robinsoni)
- Sappho Underwing (Catocala sappho)
- Semirelict Underwing (Catocala semirelicta)
- Serene Underwing (Catocala serena)
- Similar Underwing (Catocala similis)
- Sordid Underwing (Catocala sordida)
- Youthful Underwing (Catocala subnata)
- Texan Underwing (Catocala texanae)
- Ulalume Underwing (Catocala ulalume)
- Dark Red Underwing (Catocala ultronia)
- Catocala umbrosa
- Once-married Underwing (Catocala unijuga)
- Verrill’s Underwing (Catocala verrilliana)
- Widow Underwing (Catocala vidua)
- Catocala violenta
- Whitney’s Underwing (Catocala whitneyi)
Description and Identification
Caterpillar
Depending on the species, the larva can be either cylindrical or flat, with a mottled, bark-like appearance that has a few bumps and warts on the dorsal region.
Scientific Classification
- Family: Erebidae
- Genus: Catocala
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Pupa
Once the caterpillar reaches its final instar, they undergo pupation.
Adult Moth
Sexual Dimorphism: Like other moths, the females are generally larger than the males.
Color and Appearance
Forewings: When opened, the wings are dull and patterned to resemble the bark of trees as a form of camouflage. This works against predators even when the wings are closed.
Hindwings: When opened, they are more vibrantly colored than the forewings. The colors range from orange, pink, red, and yellow, completely hidden when the wings are closed.
Average wingspan: 5-8 cm
Flight pattern: Erratic
Season: Year-round
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Egg
The eggs of these moths are laid on the bark of the host plant, overwintering in this stage and emerging during spring.
Quick Facts
| Distribution | North America and Eurasia |
| Habitat | Deciduous forests |
| Lifespan of Adults | Not recorded |
| Predators | Birds, bats |
| Host Plants | Trees such as apple, cherry, hickory, poplar, walnuts, and willows |
| Adult Diet | Flower nectar or sap |
Did You Know
- German entomologist Franz von Paula Schrank first described this genus in 1802.
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Scientific Classification
- Family: Erebidae
- Genus: Catocala
I wish there was a way to leave a photo. I found a beautiful , very large moth and it doesn’t look like any of the ones on the identification charts. It is having difficulty flying and I would like to know how to help it.