Catocala illecta
kah-TOCK-uh-lahMil-LECK-tuh
Walker, [1858]

Catocala illecta, Liberty, Texas,
May 14, 2015, courtesy of Marcus Stuart.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: Noctuidae Group: Noctuinina Subfamily: Catocalinae Genus: Catocala, Schrank, 1802

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala illecta, the Magdalen Underwing, (wingspan: 60-70mm) flies from Southwestern Ontario south to Tennessee and South Carolina and west and south to Texas and north through Oklahoma and Kansas to Nebraska, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

It has also been reported in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

Catocala illecta courtesy of James K. Adams.

Catocala illecta, whitley County, Indiana,
June 30, 2018, courtesy of Tim Loeffler.

Catocala illecta verso, whitley County, Indiana,
June 30, 2018, courtesy of Tim Loeffler.

The forewing pattern and colouration is much like that of concumbens, pale grey with faint black lines. Hindwings are light yellow to orange and the irregular inner black band terminates well before the inner margin. The common name comes from a synonym for illecta, Catocala magdalena. Catocala illecta Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala illecta are usually on the wing from May to July.

The Catocala illecta caterpillar shows a preference for honey locust and lead plant.

Catocala illecta Woodlawn, Montgomery County, Tennessee,
taken at light, June 20, 2008, courtesy of Tom Payne.

Visit Tom Payne, Tennessee Catocala Collection.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala illecta females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their antennae to track the scent plume.

EGGS, CATERPILLARS, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Eggs are deposited on tree bark in the fall and hatch the following spring. Larvae often feed at night and ascend and descend tree trunks in the morning and evening, respectively, to hide among leaf litter and weeds at the base of the tree. Larva to the right was feeding on honey locust, Kalamazoo, Michigan, courtesy of Harry King.

Catocala illecta fifth instar, Kalamazoo, Michigan, courtesy of Harry King.

Read fascintaing account: Collecting Catocala illecta Larvae Kalamazoo, Michigan, Harry King

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive, although some species seem very host specific. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Amorpha canescens Gleditsia triacanthos....... Robinia pseudoacacia

Lead plant Honey locust Black locust/False acacia

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.

Enjoy one of nature's wonderments: Live Saturniidae (Giant Silkmoth) cocoons.

To show appreciation for this site, click on the flashing butterfly to the left, a link to many worldwide insect sites.

Return to Canadian Index

Return to Main Index