Connecticut Catocala

The following information (list) is taken from Theodore D. Sargent's Legion of Night, John Himmelman's sightings in Middlesex County, Robert Muller's sightings in New Haven County and a paper written by Dr. Lawrence Gall.

Lack of reporting for a particular county does not indicate the species does not fly there. Look at neighbouring counties or the entire Connecticut list to help identify a species.

I have indicated maximum and minimum known wingspans for each species and have put the different species into respective columns according to my interpretation of the hindwing colour. Framed specimens fade considerably when exposed to light. What one person sees as orange another may see as yellow! There is also some variation between live individuals.

Thirty-nine species, marked with "*", are recorded in Sargent's listings of Sidney A. Hessel's data for Washington, Connecticut (Litchfield County). I feel there may be as many as sixteen additional species/subspecies, bringing the total to possibly 55.

Catocala neogama, Litchfield County, Connecticut,
courtesy of Jim Derwin, id by Bill Oehlke

New Haven and/or Fairfield counties seem to be documented by Lawrence F. Gall, "l", although Dr. Gall had grouped species from Connecticut and Kentucky in the research paper I read. It is quite possible that consors, marmorata, meskei, nebulosa, luctuosa, maestosa and robinsoni are not found in Connecticut.