Catocala messalina
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmmess-suh-LEE-nuh
Guenee, 1852

Catocala messalina male, Louisiana, courtesy of Vernon A. Brou.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala messalina, the Messalina underwing, (wingspan: 40-45mm) flies from Virginia south to Florida and west to Texas and north possibly ?? to Kansas, mostly in evergreen oak habitats.

It has also been reported in Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

Although its presence is unconfirmed, I would expect it is also found in South Carolina, and Alabama.

The forewing is a plain, dull, grey-green, darkening toward the outer margin.

The hindwing is like that of the false underwing, having no inner black band. The outer band is quite wide.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala messalina are on the wing in May (Texas record) and probably June-August elsewhere.

The Catocala messalina caterpillar probably feeds on live oak (Quercus virginiana), sand live oak (Q. geminata), or sand laurel oak (Q. hemisphaerica).

Quercus geminata is the most likely host in North Carolina.

Only occasionally is this species seen in Maritime Evergreen Forest.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala messalina 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.

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.

Quercus geminata Quercus hemisphaerica....... Quercus virginiana

Sand live oak Sand laurel oak Live oak

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