Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 30-45mm
| ** 8869 alabamae;
Alabama Underwing; 30-40mm.
Uniform greenish-grey fw may have thin but dark (contrasting) medial lines or they may be nearly absent (titania);
alabamae often displays a dash in median/anal angle area,
missing or nearly absent in titania. There is brown shading between post medial line & subterminal line.
|
| **8878 Catocala amica;
Girlfriend; 35-40mm.
Black postmedian band is absent from the dorsal (upper)
surface of the hindwing, but it is present on the ventral surface.
Moths come in to lights and to bait.
Catocala amica lineella is sometimes treated as a subspecies;
sometimes as a distinct species.
John Himmelman image. |
| ** 8878.1 lineella;
Little Lined Underwing; 35-40mm.
This species lacks hw median black band.
Fw subreniform spot is pale, boldy
outlined with black. Light brownish-gray patch in
upper half of median area near pm line, just between
subreniform spot & am line there is similarly
coloured light patch paralleling am lne.
Reniform spot is dark, less distinct, in generally darker
area. Form "curvifascia" has diffuse black-brown arc from
mid costa region toward mid outer margin.
|
| ** 8874 Catocala minuta;
Little Underwing, 35-45mm.
Fw generally grey-brown, greatly widened
(near costa only), white, st line.
Outer black band of hw is unbroken & inner band
in complete loop, considerable brown scaling along
im. Forms:
"eureka" Schwarz: blackish area between am & pm lines;
"hiseri" Cassino: dull grey fw with very faint markings;
"mellitula" Hulst: blackish patch in basal area from costa to
ima;
"obliterata" Schwarz: almost completely
black fw;
"parvula" W. H. Edwards: broad dark patch along fw im.
|
| ** 8873 similis;
Similar Underwing, 35-45mm.
Pale triangular patch from pm line along costa,
pointed at apex, and light-coloured, tear-shaped reniform
spot distinguish this species. Subreniform
spot also projects considerably beyond
reniform anteriorally at right angle to line of subreniform.
Many specimens also have a small, light coloured, flattened oval spot
about halfway between pm & am lines at about midpoint of
reniform spot. Pm line is almost straight for most of its
length.
|
| ** 8846 sordida;
Sordid Underwing, 37-45mm.
The forewing is lighter along the costa and darker along the inner
margin. Dark medial lines are especially evident through the lighter
shades near the costa. The outer black band of the hindwing is broken
near the anal angle.
I made the determination on the moth to the right based on
dark scaling along the inner margin limited to median area
and submarginal "teeth" relatively
short and blunt. Tim Dyson image.
|
Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-56mm
These tend to be slightly larger on average than preceding group.
| ** 8877 connubialis,
Connubial Underwing, 35-50mm.
Fw is highly variable, there are several different
forms: "sancta" Hulst: typical form, has forewings with
white ground colour & sharply contrasting black lines & markings.
There is also brown shading between post medial & subterminal
lines; "cordelia" H. Edwards: coloured as above but markings are
faint; "pulverulenta" Brower: grey-green forewings with faint
markings, sometimes none;
"broweri" Muller: forewings that are dark
green, almost black.
Hw has separate anal spot & outer band ends with
straight cut.
Leroy Simon image.
|
| ** 8864 Catocala grynea ; Woody Underwing, 40-50mm
The forewing is a dull greenish grey with orangey-brown shading along
the inner margin. The antemedial, median and postmedial lines are
quite faint.
Praeclara is somewhat similar but has a break in the brown shading
between the am and pm lines. Praeclara also has a paler orange
hindwing color.
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8865
praeclara; Praeclara Underwing, 40-50mm
The forewing is a pale greenish-grey with considerable contrasting
brown shading beyond post medial line.
There is a black basal dash very close to the inner margin and
another dash, higher up in the median area.
Note the contrasting shapes of the reniform and subreniform spots.
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8867 Catocala blandula;
Charming Underwing, 40-50mm.
The pale basal area of the forewing distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
The forewing has dark contrasting lines as in crataegi.
There is also considerable brown in the subterminal area
and the subreniform spot is very conspicuous and usually brown. A
light area runs obliquely from the costa to the subreniform spot.
The hindwing is deep orange and has a complete inner black band.
The outer black band is unbroken.
Lynn Scott image. |
| Catocala mira;
Wonderful Underwing, 40-50mm.
Pale basal area of fw distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
Fw lacks dark contrasting lines of crataegi &
blandula. There is also considerable brown in subterminal area
& subreniform spot is very conspicuous & usually brown.
Light area runs obliquely from costa to subreniform spot.
There is a noticeable space along im between
am & postmedial lines.
Hw is deep orange with complete inner black band.
The outer black band is unbroken
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8858 Catocala crataegi WO;
Hawthorn Underwing, 40-50mm.
Determination is based on dark (black) shading in forewing basal
area continuing along inner margin to anal angle and brown shading
beyond postmedial line. There is also a definite greenish cast to
median area.
hw has outer black band, broken near anal angle,
distinguishing crataegi from blandula.
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8841 Catocala abbreviatella;
Abbreviated Underwing; 40-50mm.
Fw uniformly colored with narrow black lines on
anterior half. Brown reniform spot ringed with black.
Outer black band of hw abbreviated, then
a dot. Inner black band terminates well
before im.
Similar species: Catocala nuptialis, solid black
reniform spot. C. whitneyi, broad dark triangles mid
fw.
|
| ** 8842 Catocala nuptialis;
Maried Underwing, wingspan 40-50mm.
The reniform spot is very dark, black or almost black on an otherwise
faintly marked, almost uniformly grey forewing.
The outer black margin of the hindwing is unbroken, but is indented
near the anal angle.
Jim Vargo image.
|
| ** 8843
whitneyi;
Whitney's Underwing, 45-50mm.
Catocala whitneyi is similar to abbreviatella Grote, &
nuptialis Walker, but generally flies later in the season where species
overlap. Two black wedges/triangles on forewing, one over
reniform spot and other just outside antemedial line,
distinguish whitneyi.
Gerald Fauske image.
|
 |
** 8844 amestris;
Three-staff Underwing; 45-50mm.
There is a large pale patch near the apex.
In form "westcotti" the hindwing outer black band is complete.
In other moths, the band is broken as in abbreviatella.
Hindwing ground colour is usually deeper yellow-orange than in
similar species. Leroy Simon image.
|
| ** 8775 antinympha;
Sweetfern Underwing, 45-55mm.
Very dark grey, almost black, forewing ground colour
distinguishes antinympha. There is some brown shading in
subreniform spot and also just outside postmedial line.
The hindwing is amber to pale orange.
There is form multoconspicua Reiff, 1919 with a pale,
almost white subreniform spot.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8772 clintoni;
Clinton's Underwing, wingspan 45-55mm.
The black basal dash distinguishes clintoni from illecta and
abbreviatella, both of which lack the dash.
Vernon Brou image.
|
| ** 8776 coelebs;
Old Maid Underwing, wingspan 54-56mm.
The gray region from the forewing pm line to the outer margin readily
distinguishes this species. The fringe is gray on the lower wing from the brief orange dash at the hindwing apex to the anal angle.
Tim Dyson image.
|
|
Midsized Orange-Salmon-Red-Scarlet Underwings: Wingspans: 50-72mm
| ** 8857 Catocala ultronia;
Ultronia Underwing, 50-63mm.
Fws are typically gray-brown, with distinct and very
dark inner margin and characteristic light brown patch, underscored
by very dark arc, near wingtip.
There can be considerable variation from one specimen to next.
Underwings can be yellow to orange to salmon.
|
| Catocala ultronia,
the Ultronia Underwing, wingspan: 50-63mm.
There is extensive orange-salmon colouration on the ventral surface
of the hindwings and there is a dark discal lunule.
The ventral surface of the forewings also has a generous suffusion
of orange-salmon scales in the lower half of the median area.
Joe Garris photo.
|
 |
** 8779 serena
Serene Underwing.
Head & collar & abdomen are brown while thorax is grey.
Am & pm lines are thin, very dark, distinct on an
otherwise drab, almost uniformly olive-grey fw.
Black marginal band of lower wings is indented at center,
relatively narrow, deep yellow median band parallels
indentation. Basal hairs are brown.
Catocala serena courtesy of
Carroll Rudy, July 28, Calumet County.
|
| #8778 Catocala habilis;
55-65mm. Note large "M" on thorax &
"pork chop" shaped, light coloured subreniform spot becoming very
dark in constriction at juncture with pm line. Pm
line narrow, dark, distinct & outwardly lined with
narrow suffusion of white scales, followed by broader band of brown
scales, & broader suffusion of white scales up to
regular dentation of st line.
Significant "bleeding" of yellow-orange to salmon scales into
hw fringes.
Large reniform spot has brown center, faintly edged with black, then
white, then black again.
|
| #8817 briseis;
Briseis Underwing;
60-70mm.
Fws predominantly mottled dark-grey-brown with some lighter areas 1) between postmedial & subterminal lines, 2) at base of antemedial and
postmedial lines along inner margin, and 3) over subreniform spot running diagonally toward costa.
Pm lines do not have greatly elongated and sharly pointed "teeth" near apex.
Hw fringe white and unbroken and inner black band (fairly even) reaches inner margin.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| #8795 Catocala palaeogama
; 60-70mm.
Subreniform spot closed, does not approach pm line, smaller than habilis.
All forms have characteristic orange, heavily barred fringe to
apex, & irregular bands on hws. Hw basal median
area heavily suffused with dark brown to black scales.
Dark bar in outer half of median area,
paralleling inner margin halfway between
imn and light, closed subreniform spot.
|
| #8795 Catocala palaeogama
form phalanga; 60-70mm.
In this form, the forewing basal area and subterminal
area are very dark against a much lighter background.
The dark bar in the outer half of the
median area, paralleling the inner margin halfway between
the inner margin and the light, closed subreniform spot is especially
evident. Joe Garris image.
|
| ** 8770
Catocala innubens;
Betrothed; 55-72mm.
Fw mottled with white, grey and brown, and
subrenifrom spot tends to be lighter in colour, although it is
sometimes obscured by an indistinct blackish bar which runs from
middle of basal/thorax connection to just below much lighter
apex at outer margin.
Jim Vargo image. |
| ** 8851
Catocala coccinata;
Scarlet; 57-70mm.
Usually diffuse basal & anal dashes on otherwise light
grey, mottled fw.
Hw fringe is white (often with some salmon scaling) and is
heavily checked.
"Tooth" just below pair of elongated "teeth" is
much reduced & quite rounded, usually allowing considerable room
for lighter patch of scales. Dark bar crosses thorax.
Reniform spot light, often with greenish cast.
|
| ** 8840
Catocala illecta;
Magdalen Underwing, wingspan: 60-70mm
The forewing pattern and colouration is much like that of concumbens,
pale grey with faint black lines.
hws light yellow and the irregular inner black band
terminates well before the inner margin. James K. Adams image.
|
|
Solid Black Underwings: Smallest to Largest, Similar Species Paired
| ** 8781
judith,
Judith's Underwing, 45-55mm,
is one of smaller "black" underwings.
Fw is uniform
light grey with thin and only slightly darkened antemedial, median
& postmedial lines. No darkened dashes (slight anal dash)
or transverse lines. The reniform area is slightly darkened while the
area just before the subterminal line is a bit lighter. Note absence of
hw white fringe.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| ** 8773
Catocala epione ;
Epione Underwing, wingspan: 55-65mm
The pm line is squared and has a brown band and then a light band
just outside the line. The hindwing is black with pure white fringe
with no barring.
John Himmelman image.
|
|
Catocala retecta;
60-75mm.
Note light coloured, elongated, open subreniform spot
which interrupts dark, diffuse ark running through center of
wing from basal area (body-wing juncture) to forewing
apex. Center of reniform spot is brown and there is a brown
area just below costa running to inner margin just outside pm
line. Off-white hindwing fringe is only lightly checked along
wing veins.
Joe Garris image.
|
| ** 8784
obscura;
the Obscure Underwing, 60-72mm,
has dull, grey forewings, usually void of any significant dashes or
streaks, providing for easy identification. The antemedial, median
and postmedial lines of obscura are faint and the subterminal line
region is only slightly paler than the rest of the forewing.
The hindwing fringe is off-white and lightly checked on the veins.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| ** 8785
residua;
the Residua Underwing, 60-73mm.
Note hw grey-brown fringe which distinguishes residua from obscura. Obscura has white fringe and tends to be less common in northern portions of its range.
Fw subterminal line/area of residua tends to be pale as is the open, elongated subreniform spot.
|
| ** 8794
Catocala lacrymosa;
Tearful Underwing, wingspan: 60-82mm
The forewing is highly variable with a mixture of black, brown
(wing tips and outside postmedial line) and dark grey scaling.
There are usually whitish crescents, along the inner margin at the
base of the antemedial and postmedial lines.
The hindwings are black with white checkered fringe, turning black
near the anal angle.
|
| ** 8791
Catocala insolabilis;
Inconsolable, 65-75mm.
Fw light grey with blackish shading along inner
margin. Antemedial and postmedial lines are thin.
Hw fringe is very narrow and grey, becoming whiter toward
the apex.
Ventral surface clearly distinguishes insolabis, being almost
completely black except for some white in basal area.
Vernon A. Brou image.
|
| ** 8792
Catocala vidua;
Widow; 70-80mm.
Fw ground colourlight grey with
distinguished dark arc running through top of reniform spot
to just below apex. There are heavy, dark anal & basal
dashes, connecting to dark median bar, running parallel to im.
Am line thick & black in its upper half.
Reniform spot consists of two almost
concentric irregular ovals.
Subreniform spot is light, open, constricted as it
meets pm line.
Hw black with broad, white fringe, only lightly
interrupted.
. |
| ** 8793
Catocala maestosa;
Sad Underwing, 78-98mm.
Maesotsa is quite similar to, although usually larger than, vidua.
Both have the dark arc from the costa, above the reniform spot, to
the outer margin just below the apex. Maesotsa, however, lacks the
dark bar, found on vidua, parallel to the inner margin.
The reniform spot is brown and there is brown shading just outside
the postmedial line.
The hindwing fringe is white, narrow and heavily barred.
|
|
Large Black Underwings (Banded): Wingspans: 70-80mm
| ** 8803 Catocala relicta;
Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm.
There is considerable variation with regard to black/white
concentrations on the forewings.
Form clara (depicted), has basal and subterminal
areas predominantly white; form phrynia, is
evenly dusted with grey over the entire forewing.
Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas filled with
blackish scales. Black hindwings, with a brilliant even white inner band and
white fringe,
are also distinctive.
|
| ** 8802 Catocala cerogama;
Yellow-Banded; 70-80mm.
There are several different forms. Pm line distinct, dark
with an elongate pair of projections. Pm and am lines meet inner
margin in relative proximity. Closed subreniform spot
it lighter than surrounding areas, and it is shaped a bit like an
arrowhead with the point toward the body. Hws
distinctive. Jean-Benoît Duval image. |
|
Large Orange-Salmon Underwings: Wingspans: 65mm, usually 70-95mm
| ** 8822
meskei; Meske's Underwing;
65-75mm.
Fws less distinctly marked compared to unijuga and
some red-orange at hw apex and just inside
fringe along outer margin in meskei that is lacking in unijuga.
fw subreniform spot is opened or connected to the
postmedian line. The hindwing postmedian band is nearly straight,
turned in and tapering near the anal angle.
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8821
semirelicta; Semirelict Underwing;
wingspan: 65-75mm
The forewing ground colour is white with dark lines and shadings. A
diffuse dark bar runs from center of basal area to the outer margin a
few mm above the anal angle. Note regular dentation of st line.
The inner black bar on the lower wing usually terminates well before
the inner margin.
The form "atala" has a forewing that is uniformly grey.
Unijuga is usually larger and has less contrasting black lines. The
inner black bar on unijuga usually reaches the inner margin.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8801
Catocala ilia; Ilia;
65-82mm.
Specimens have several forms, but
most have characteristic white area in and around
reniform spot. There is also diffuse dark arc running from
spot to just below outer apex.
Except in worn specimens and darkest forms,
white dots near the outer margin of fw are in character
with overall "contrasting" appearance of moth.
Joe Garris image.
|
| ** 8808 luciana;
Luciana Underwing, 70-80mm.
Pale grey brown forewing with very distinct am
& postmedial lines.
Subreniform spot has elongated narrow "tail" that seems to
open through postmedial line.
Inner black band of hw does not reach inner margin.
Fringe is checked and paler (almost yellow) than
salmon ground colour.
|
| ** 8771 Catocala piatrix ;
Penitent, wingspan: 68-84mm
The forewing has a light-colored band/bar extending from the
subreniform spot along the am line to the costa.
The fringe of the hindwing is lightly barred and is lighter in color
than the deeper orange on the rest of wing.
|
| Catocala junctura;
Joined Underwing; : 67-85mm.
Fw dark brownish-gray to evenly powdered
blue-grey w/o significant markings. Doubled reniform spot
obscure. Thin, slightly darker am & pm
lines run from costa to im, not widely
spaced at im.
Hw salmon or orange-pink with narrow inner black band
turning sharply but not meeting dark-haired im,
distinguishing it from unijuga.
|
| ** 8805 unijuga;
Once-married; 70-90mm.
Fairly wide black inner band (almost reaching inner margin) in
hw and very distinctive patterning in fw. Meskei tend to
have narrower band and dustier (less distinct) looking forewing.
Semirelicta tend to have inner bands terminating well before
inner margins.
Note very white fringe on both forewings & hindwings.
Carroll Rudy image.
|
Catocala unijuga, Carroll Rudy, Aug 26, Calumet County.
| ** 8806 Catocala parta;
Mother Underwing, 70-85mm.
Black dashes in basal, subapical and anal areas help to
identify this species. Hws may be yellow to
yellowish-orange but more often are salmon-red. Note the
face-head-like markings on the thorax.
In the hindwing, the first (nearest the apex) black protrusion into
the white fringe is "noticeably" larger than the others.
|
| ** 8798 Catocala neogama;
70-85mm.
Note brown head & thorax & larger size compared to
C. palaeogama. Specimens slightly smaller
than subnata, darker grey brown forewings, more
pronounced markings.
Neogama's hind tibia tend to be flattened and
unevenly & sparsely spined while subnata's tibia are cylindrical
with spines dense & uniform in distribution.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| ** 8797 Catocala subnata;
Youthful Underwing, 75-90mm.
Fws greyish white with blue-grey & light brown scales.
Usually have hindwings brighter
yellow than those of neogama. Neogama usually
have basal dash; absent in male subnata, but present in females.
Magnification of hind tibia helps to distinguish the two species:
subnata: cylindrical hind tibia;
neogama: compressed or flattened hind tibia.
|
| ** 8796 Catocala nebulosa;
Clouded; 75-86mm.>
Prominent dark brown upper-half-basal patch extending
to, ending at antemedial line. Apical area also tends to be
brown, much darker than median area but not as dark as basal patch.
The anal angle also has the darker brown scaling.
The pm line is distinct near costa and inner margin, but becomes
weak between the two. It meets inner margin in relative close
proximity to am line.
Closed subreniform spot is large and connects to the
pm line via a thin line.
|
|
Medium-Large Pink Underwings: Wingspans: 70-95mm
| ** 8833 concumbens
Sleepy Underwing or
Pink Underwing,60-75mm).
This brown thoracic collar is quite evident in this image as is the
interruption in the pm line by the open subreniform spot.
The white hindwing fringe is only lightly checked
on the wing veins. The vibrant pink bans are
distinct in colour and also in their relatively smooth contour.
|
| ** 8832 Catocala cara;
Darling; 70-85mm.>
Note deep maroon almost purple cast to fws, mixed with
very pale green. Lower half of am and pm lines is barely
visible. No distinctive bars or dashes. Two upper
"teeth" on pm line are thin and long.
The hindwing bands are pink. There is heavy black checking on the
off-white hindwing fringe. The relatively thick black median band of the
hindwing almost reaches the inner margin which is usually heavily
adorned with dark hairs.
Tim Dyson image.
|
|
** 8834 amatrix
Sweetheart Underwing;75-95mm.
This species is very skittish and frequently hides in caves, under
bridges, under tree bark, etc. by day, resting with head down.
Hw patterning and colouration are similar
Catocala concumbens, but large size (wingspan 75-95mm)
and dark bar running from basal area to just below apex
distinguishes Catocala amatrix. See large
Catocala amatrix courtesy of
Joan F. Rickert, Aug 30, Taylor County.
|
|
|
