Catocala pretiosa texarkana
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmpret-ee-OH-suhmtex-are-KAN-uh
Brower, 1976

Catocala pretiosa texarkana = Catocala pretiosa, by of Vernon A. Brou, Louisiana.

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

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: Erebidae, Leach, [1815] Subfamily: Erebinae, Leach, [1815] Tribe: Catocalini, Boisduval, [1828] Genus: Catocala, Schrank, 1802

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala texarkana, the Texarkana Underwing, (wingspan: 40-50mm), flies from Florida to Texas.

This subspecies is now equated with the nominate species Catocala pretiosa.

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

The median area is quite light with a wide whitish band paralleling the antemedial line from the costa almost to the inner margin. The subreniform spot is distinctly brown.

The inner black band on the hindwing forms a complete loop and mingles with dark scaling along the inner margin. The outer black band is almost broken. The orange-yellow fringe is heavily checked with black.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala pretiosa texarkana are on the wing from May to June. The Catocala pretiosa texarkana caterpillar feeds on Crataegus.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala pretiosa texarkana 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.

Crataegus.......

Hawthorn

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