This site has been created by
Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.
TAXONOMY:Superfamily: Noctuoidea |
Catocala badia coelebs (wingspan: 54-56mm) flies from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, (rare) east to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and south into Maine (possibly to Connecticut). Records also exist for Wisconsin, Michigan and Vermont.It has also been reported in Minnesota, New Hampshire and New York.
The fringe is gray on the lower wing from the brief orange dash at the hindwing apex to the anal angle. Tim Dyson image.There is also the form phoebe Hulst, 1885. |
Catocala badia coelebs, July 10, 2005, courtesy of Tim Dyson.
Tim writes,
Catocala badia coelebs verso, Peterborough, Ontario,
August 5, 2016, courtesy of Tim Dyson.
Moths come in to lights readily and also to bait.
The Catocala badia coelebs caterpillar shows a preference for Myrica gale (sweet gale).Sweet gale is a deciduous, bushy shrub, growing to a heighth of four feet. It is distinguished from other bog shrubs by its bluegreen leaf color, and unique leaf shape. Leaves are toothed only at the end, which is rounded and wider than the leaf base. |
Other reported hosts include Myrica pennsylvanica (Northern bayberry) and Comptonia peregrina (sweetfern).Comptonia peregrina, courtesy of University of Connecticut Plant Database is depicted to the right. |
The Catocala species generally spin a very flimsy and relatively large, loose cocoon, using a few strands of silk to bind leaf litter together. You can see the lighter silk, binding the dried sweetfern foliage, in the image below.
Catocala badia coelebs cocoon, July 7, 2005, courtesy of Tim Dyson.
Catocala badia coelebs pupa, courtesy of Tim Dyson.
EGGS, CATERPILLARS, COCOONS AND PUPAE:Eggs are deposited on tree bark in the fall and hatch the following spring.I sent Tim Dyson a few eggs in the fall of 2004, and he rewarded me with what I believe are images of second (right), third and fourth (below) instar larvae. Second instar courtesy of Tim Dyson. |
Comptonia peregrina |
Sweetfern |
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This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae/Catocala Sites", contact Bill.
Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.
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