Arizona Catocala

Catocala frederici; Frederic's Underwing: 40-52mm: Fw blotchy yellow-brown, faint lines. Double am line has large central lobe. Subrenifrom spot closed and pale. Submarginal area orangey-yellow. Hw yellow-orange, with outer black band broken, followed by flattened dot. Thin inner black band angles almost 90 degree, truncated well before im. Apex, large yellow area.

Catocala chelidonia; 45-50mm. Fw fuscous grey. Reniform, subreniform spots concolourous, with srf closed, sometimes lighter and brown. Pm line thin, distinct, two upper teeth slightly produced. Hw orangish. Black median band swollen near cell, angles 90 d toward, not to im. Fringes off-white opp. orange, grey opp. outer band. Some orange near apex inside thin, distinct sm line.

Catocala andromache; 50-55mm.

Catocala andromache; 50-55mm.

Catocala benjamini; 50 mm. Catocala benjamini reportedly flies as the nominate susbspecies in Arizona, Nevada, southern California and southern Utah. Catocala benjamini mayhewi flies in southern California. Catocala benjamini jumpi flies in the Kofa Mountains of Arizona.

Catocala caesia; 55mm. Fw blotchy blue-grey-brown with some lighter areas. Double am line dark & thick/diffuse. Distinct pm line, evenly dentate, traced outwardly with thin white. Reniform spot pale brown. Small subrectangular subreniform spot almost pure white, indented on inward side. Hw bright yellow, unchecked yellow fringes. Inner black band relatively thin, angles acutely toward im, bluntly truncated.

Catocala desdemona; 60-70mm. Fw gc is light mottled grey with greenish blue cast. Double reniform spot brown. Subreniform spot large, lighter brown, closed; tail extends to pm line. Upper pml teeth moderately produced, next two teeth, not at all. Next produced, thick, rounded, distinct inward loop below. Hw ib turns 90 toward im. Ob broken; large orange apical area.

Catocala ilia zoe male; 65mm. Fw gc light grey with considerable brown scaling. Double reniform spot has brown center, thinly outlined in black, widely outlined in white, then thinly outlined in black. Subreniform spot indented on both inner & outer side, just above its tailed extension, which may/ may not be open. Am line black, distinct, pointed, triangular shaped indentation just above im. Pm line darker along upper half.

Catocala piatrix dionyza; 68-84mm. Fw has light-colored band/bar extending from large, pale brown subreniform spot along am line to costa. There is usually relatively dark area between reniform spot and pm line, wing veins tend to be dark and distinct there. Hw fringe lightly barred, lighter than deeper orange on rest of wing.

neogama euphemia; 78-90mm: Fw ground colour charcoal grey, often with bluish tinge. Am line thick, dark along costa, extends in three more narrowly lined lobes, upper two notched, toward, but not reaching midpoint of im. Pm line has two upper teeth elongated, followed by much short tooth, longer tooth along extended line of subreniform spot.

Large Orange-Salmon Underwings: Wingspans: 65mm, usually 70-95mm verrilliana; Verrill's Underwing; 45-60mm Closed, subtriangular subreniform spot is large and light in colour. Light patch runs from subreniform diagonally to costa. Dark area on basal side of am line and light patches between postmedian and subterminal lines distinguish this species. ** 8821 semirelicta; Semirelict Underwing; 65-75mm FW ground colour is whitish with dark lines and shadings. Diffuse dark bar runs from center of basal area to outer margin a few mm above anal angle. Note regular dentation of st line. Hw inner black bar usually terminates well before inner margin. The form "atala" has a forewing that is uniformly grey. Unijuga is usually larger and has less contrasting black lines. Inner black bar on unijuga usually reaches inner margin. babayaga; 75mm: Fw greyish-brown. oblique am line has pointed lobes. Pm line has two upper teeth, not greatly produced, upper tooth wider and longer. Third tooth greatly reduced, borders brownish subterminal area, and is followed by larger tooth. The double reniform spot in darker area. Large, much lighter, open subreniform spot breaks pm line. Light area toward costa on body side, above srf spot. aholibah; 80-90mm: Fw is mix of grey and brown, with preponderance of brown in subterminal area. Double reniform spot has diffuse brown outline of inner oval. Subreniform spot is small, distinctly outlined in black, light coloured and does not connect to pm line. Upper two teeth of pm line are elongate and are followed by relatively smooth line til next tooth below the subreniform spot. Hindwing salmon or pinkish.

Little Red Underwings: Wingspans: 50-55mm Catocala ophelia; Ophelia Underwing: 52mm: Fw dark grey, am/pm lines are relatively smooth except for two jagged spikes in pm near apex. Considerable brown shading outside subterminal line. Hw deep red, black median band constricted in center and terminating before im. Black submarginal border is quite broad near apex. White fringe heavily checked. Medium Red Underwings: Wingspans: 55-70mm Catocala hermia; Hermia Underwing: 70-80mm: Fw almost uniform/even, grey-brown or clay coloured, thin, yet contrasting medial lines. Distinct large double reniform spot. Large concolourous subrenifrom spot usually open. Hw pinkish red, relatively even and narrow black bands. Inner black band ends before im. Fringe white, checked, pink/red "bleeding" along outer black band, near apex. Large Red Underwings: Wingspans: 70-90mm Catocala junctura; Joined Underwing; 67-85mm. Fw is usually dark brownish-gray to evenly powdered blue-grey w/o significant markings. Doubled reniform spot often obscure. Thin, slightly darker am and pm lines run from costa to im, not widely spaced at im. Hw salmon/ orange-pink, narrow inner black band turns in sharply, does not meet dark-haired im. Catocala grotiana; Grote's Underwing: 70-80mm: The white outlines outside the postmedial and inside the subterminal lines make this species stand out. The hindwing inner black band is even and relatively thin and terminates well before the inner margin. The fringe is heavily checked and charcoal grey along the inner margin. Hindwings can be orange or red. ** 8833 violenta Violent Underwing (70-80mm): Two elongated, well-defined spikes high in the postmedial line extend to subterminal line. Next tooth is very short. There is considerable brown shading on the forewing between the pme and st lines. Subreniform spot is light with light bar extending obliquely to the costa. Catocala jessica; Jessica Underwing: 75mm: Fw is bluish grey with some brown scaling. Am line is irregular, meets i m almost at midpoint. Pm line has one upper tooth produced, second is much less so. Third is little more than a sharp point on smooth curve to fourth tooth, somewhat produced over opening of large subreniform spot. Reniform spot is double and dark in darker region of median area. Catocala electilis; Fw dark grey. Black pm line thin but distinct; two upper teeth not greatly produced. Reniform spot dark brown; large, pork-chop shaped subreniform spot lighter brown extends to pm line. Brown shading in subterminal area. Hw salmon (orange to red). Midsized Orange-Salmon-Red-Scarlet Underwings: Wingspans: 50-72mm Medium-Large Pink Underwings: Wingspans: 70-95mm ** 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 to that of Catocala concumbens, but large size (wingspan 75-95mm) and dark bar running from basal area to just below apex distinguishes amatrix. Large Black Underwings (Banded): Wingspans: 70-80mm ** 8803 Catocala relicta ; Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm: Considerable variation with regard to black/white concentrations on fws. Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas with blackish scales. Black hws, with brilliant even white inner band and white fringe, are distinctive. June until October. ** 8803 Catocala relicta ; Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm: Considerable variation with regard to black/white concentrations on fws. Form clara: basal and subterminal areas predominantly white. Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas with blackish scales. Black hws, with brilliant even white inner band and white fringe, are distinctive. June until October. ** 8803 Catocala relicta ; Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm: Considerable variation with regard to black/white concentrations on fws. Form phrynia: evenly dusted with grey over entire forewing. Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas with blackish scales. Black hws, with brilliant even white inner band and white fringe, are distinctive. June until October, poplars and willows If you have additional sightings to add to the list or high quality images of moths or larvae, please forward same to oehlkew@islandtelecom.com. Images and/or information will be credited to photographer/source. Records of Catocala specimens from different Arizona counties are listed below: Apache grotiana 70-80, KR Cochise babayaga KR benjamini BW caesia 47-55mm, HDK desdemona 65-70, KR electilis BW frederici BW ilia zoe BW hermia BW junctura 70-85, PL n. euphemia 80-90, KR ophelia BW Coconino violenta ER, Sept. Gila amatrix ER, Aug ilia zoe ER, Aug pia. dionyza ER, Aug. relicta Kim Wisman (Payson) Sept violenta ER, Aug. Graham benjamini BW hermia BW Greenler La Paz Maricopa Mohave Navajo Pima benjamini BW ilia zoe BW neo. euphemia ER, Madera Canyon, July August Pinal ilia zoe BW ilia zoe ER October 6, 2008 Santa Cruz electilis BW hermia BW ilia zoe BW verrilliana ER, Harshaw July 9, 2008 Yavapai pia. dionyza ER, Sept Yuma Evan Rand reports the following: C. violenta (positive)- 1 record Gila Co. August C. piatrix - 1 record Gila Co. August C. piatrix dionyza 70mm Pinal County, October 6, 2008 C. amatrix - 1 record Gila Co. August (definite), 1 record Maricopa Co. late September 2006 (probable. Didn't collect, but I got a very good look at it, was a large underwing with red hindwings I suppose it could also have been C. aholibah). C. ilia zoe - 1 record Gila Co. August Catocala electilis [ MONA 8831 ] Counties: (Source: Larry Gall , pers. comm 2001) Cochise Santa Cruz ! Catocala amatrix [ MONA 8834 ] Foodplants Populus/Salix (L. Gall, pers. comm 2001) ! Catocala desdemona [ MONA 8835a ] Taxonomy: C. benhamini is a full species, not a subspecies of C. delilah as listed in MONA (Dave Hawks, per com.) Foodplants Quercus (L. Gall, pers. comm 2001) Catocala frederici [ MONA 8837 ] Counties: (Source: Larry Gall , pers. comm 2001) Cochise ! Catocala chelidonia [ MONA 8838 ] Foodplants Quercus (L. Gall, pers. comm 2001) Catocala undescribed species (caesia) [ MONA 88xx] Catocala benjamini [ MONA 8849a ] Taxonomy: C. benhamini is a full species, not a subspecies of C. andromache as listed in MONA (Dave Hawks, per com.) Counties: (Source: Larry Gall , pers. comm 2001) Cochise Graham Pima Foodplants Quercus (L. Gall, pers. comm 2001) ! Catocala verrilliana [ MONA 8852 ] Foodplants Quercus (L. Gall, pers. comm 2001) ! Catocala violenta [ MONA 8853 ] Foodplants Quercus (L. Gall, pers. comm 2001) Catocala ophelia [ MONA 8854 ] Counties: (Source: Larry Gall , pers. comm 2001) Cochise Catocala californiensis [ MONA 8862 ] Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page. Website created and maintained by Bill Oehlke. Contact Bill at Bill Oehlke Click on the flashing butterfly to show appreciation for this site and to visit other insect related sites.