Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-45mm
| ** 8869 alabamae;
Alabama Underwing; 30-40mm, yes.
Uniform greenish-grey fw may have thin but dark (contrasting) medial lines or they may be nearly absent (titania);
alabamae often displays a dash in median/anal angle area,
missing or nearly absent in titania. There is brown shading between post medial line & subterminal line.
unconfirmed
|
| **8878 Catocala amica;
Girlfriend; wingspan: 35-40mm, yes.
The black postmedian band is absent from the dorsal (upper)
surface of the hindwing, but it is present on the ventral surface.
Moths respond to lights and to bait.
Amica, compared to lineella, tends to be lighter in colour with weak am line.
Catocala amica lineella is sometimes treated as a subspecies;
sometimes as a distinct species.
Maurice Bottos image.
|
Catocala amica, Jay County, July 27, 2009 - September 8, 2009, Scott Mescher
| ** 8878.1 lineella;
Little Lined Underwing; 35-40mm, yes.
This species lacks medial black band
on hindwing. Fw subreniform spot is pale and boldy
outlined with black. There is similar light brownish-gray patch in
upper half of median area near pm line, and just between
subreniform spot and am line there is similarly
coloured light patch paralleling am lne.
Reniform spot is dark, less distinct, in generally darker
area. Form "curvifascia" has diffuse black-brown arc from
mid costa region toward mid outer margin. Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8874 Catocala minuta;
Little Underwing, 35-45mm. unconfirmed, likely present
Fw grey-brown with greatly widened
(near costa only), white, st line.
Outer black band of hw is unbroken & inner band
forms complete loop with considerable brown scaling along
im. Several forms:
"eureka" Schwarz: blackish area between am & pm lines;
"hiseri" Cassino: dull grey fw with very faint markings;
"mellitula" Hulst: blackish patch in basal area from costa to
im;
"obliterata" Schwarz: melanic form, almost completely
black fw;
"parvula" W. H. Edwards: broad dark patch along fw im.
Steve Walter image.
|
Catocala minuta, Jay County, August 3, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| ** 8873 similis;
Similar Underwing, 35-45mm.
Pale triangular patch from postmedial line along costa,
pointed at apex, and the light-coloured, tear-shaped reniform
spot distinguish this species. Subreniform
spot also projects considerably beyond
reniform anteriorally at right angle to line of subreniform.
Many specimens also have small, light coloured, flattened oval spot
about halfway between pm & am lines at about midpoint of
reniform spot. Pm line is almost straight for most of its
length. Tim Dyson photo.
|
| ** 8846 sordida;
Sordid Underwing, wingspan: 37-45mm.
The forewing is lighter along the costa and darker along the inner
margin. Dark medial lines are especially evident through the lighter
shades near the costa. The outer black band of the hindwing is broken
near the anal angle.
I made the determination on the moth to the right based on
dark scaling along the inner margin limited to median area
and submarginal "teeth" relatively
short and blunt.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| dulciola;
Quiet/Sweet Underwing, wingspan: 40-45mm;
A double, black, almost smooth antemedial line (inner line broken only near the costa)
with other lines obscure distinguishes dulciola.
There is also a dark basal dash on an otherwise plain, light grey
forewing.
|
Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-56mm
These tend to be slightly larger on average than preceding group.
| ** 8876 Catocala micronympha,
the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). John Himmelman image.
The usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown,
black and white tints. There is usually a darkened band passing from
the costa through the reniform spot to the outer margin.
There is high variability with this species.
Full size Joe Garris photo of C. micronympha form hero.
|
| ** 8876 Catocala micronympha
form gisela,
the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm).
The usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown,
black and white tints. There is usually a darkened band passing from
the costa through the reniform spot to the outer margin.
Form "gisela" Meyer has a forewing that is mostly black.
Leroy Simon image.
|
| ** 8876 Catocala micronympha
form hero,
the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm).
The usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown,
black and white tints. There is usually a darkened band passing from
the costa through the reniform spot to the outer margin.
Form "hero" H. Edwards has a median area that is mostly white.
Joe Garris image.
|
| ** 8876 Catocala micronympha
form lolita,
the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm).
Form "lolita" Sargent has very dark forewings.
Harold J. Vermes image, used with permission from his son.
|
| ** 8876 Catocala micronympha
form sargenti,
the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm).
The usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown,
black and white tints. There is usually a darkened band passing from
the costa through the reniform spot to the outer margin.
Form "sargenti" Covell (very rare) has a hindwing that is all black.
|
| ** 8877 connubialis,
Connubial Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm).
The forewing is highly variable and there are several different
forms: "sancta" Hulst is the typical form and has forewings with
white ground colour and sharply contrasting black lines and markings.
There is also brown shading between post medial and subterminal
lines; "cordelia" H. Edwards is coloured as above but markings are
faint; "pulverulenta" Brower has grey-green forewings with faint
markings, sometimes none;
"broweri" Muller is the melanic form with forewings that are dark
green, almost black.
The hindwing has a separate anal spot and the outer band ends with a
straight cut.
Leroy Simon image.
|
| Catocala pretiosa
Precious Underwing; 40-50mm; unconfirmed;
This species is quite similar to crataegi and mira, but pretiosa has considerable creamy white colouration in the median area. The lower
portion of the basal area is also light, not dark as in crataegi.
The inner black band of the hindwing forms a loop and the outer band is broken (not complete as in mira, followed by a dot that tapers to the anal angle.
|
| ** 8864 Catocala grynea ; Woody Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm
The forewing is a dull greenish grey with orangey-brown shading along
the inner margin. The antemedial, median and postmedial lines are
quite faint.
Praeclara is somewhat similar but has a break in the brown shading
between the am and pm lines. Praeclara also has a paler orange
hindwing color.
Tim Dyson image. |
Catocala grynea, Jay County, July 23, 2009 - August 6, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| ** 8865
praeclara; Praeclara Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm
The forewing is a pale greenish-grey with considerable contrasting
brown shading beyond post medial line.
There is a black basal dash very close to the inner margin and
another dash, higher up in the median area.
Note the contrasting shapes of the reniform and subreniform spots.
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8867 Catocala blandula;
Charming Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm.
The pale basal area of the forewing distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
The forewing has dark contrasting lines as in crataegi.
There is also considerable brown in the subterminal area
and the subreniform spot is very conspicuous and usually brown. A
light area runs obliquely from the costa to the subreniform spot.
The hindwing is deep orange and has a complete inner black band.
The outer black band is unbroken.
Lynn Scott image. |
Catocala blandula, Jay County, July 29, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| Catocala mira;
Wonderful Underwing, 40-50mm.
Pale basal area of forewing distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
Forewing lacks dark contrasting lines of crataegi and
blandula. There is also considerable brown in subterminal area
and subreniform spot is very conspicuous and usually brown. A
light area runs obliquely from costa to subreniform spot.
There is also a noticeable space along inner margin between
antemedial & postmedial lines.
Hindwing is deep orange and has a complete inner black band.
Outer black band is unbroken
Tim Dyson image. |
Catocala mira, Jay County, July 28, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| ** 8858 Catocala crataegi;
Hawthorn Underwing, 40-50mm.
Determination is based on dark (black) shading in forewing basal
area continuing along inner margin to anal angle and brown shading
beyond postmedial line. There is also a definite greenish cast to
median area.
The lower wing has the outer black band, broken near the anal angle,
distinguishing crataegi from blandula.
Tim Dyson image. |
Catocala crataegi, Jay County, July 31, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| ** 8841 Catocala abbreviatella;
Abbreviated Underwing; 40-50mm.
Fw uniformly colored with narrow black lines on
anterior half. Brown reniform spot ringed with black.
Hw outer black band abbreviated and then
continued with dot. Inner black band terminates well
before im.
Similar species: C. nuptialis solid black
reniform spot. C. whitneyi broad dark triangles mid
fw.
|
| ** 8843
whitneyi TM;
Whitney's Underwing, wingspan 45-50mm. unconfirmed possibility for western Indiana
Catocala whitneyi is similar to abbreviatella Grote, and
nuptialis Walker, but generally flies later in the season where the species
overlap. The two black wedges/triangles on the forewing, one over the
reniform spot and the other just outside the antemedial line,
distinguish whitneyi.
Gerald Fauske image.
|
| ** 8842 Catocala nuptialis;
Maried Underwing, wingspan 40-50mm. unconfirmed possibility
The reniform spot is very dark, black or almost black on an otherwise
faintly marked, almost uniformly grey forewing.
The outer black margin of the hindwing is unbroken, but is indented
near the anal angle.
Jim Vargo image. ????????
|
 |
** 8844 amestris;
Three-staff Underwing; wingspan 43-50mm.
There is a large pale patch near the apex.
In form "westcotti" the hindwing outer black band is complete.
In other moths, the band is broken as in abbreviatella.
Hindwing ground colour is usually deeper yellow-orange than in
similar species. Leroy Simon image.
|
| ** 8775 antinympha;
Sweetfern Underwing, wingspan 45-55mm.
The very dark grey, almost black, forewing ground colour
distinguishes antinympha. There is some brown shading in the
subreniform spot and also just outside the postmedial line.
The hindwing is amber to pale orange.
There is also the form multoconspicua Reiff, 1919 with a pale,
almost white subreniform spot.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8772 clintoni;
Clinton's Underwing, wingspan 45-55mm.
The black basal dash distinguishes clintoni from illecta and
abbreviatella, both of which lack the dash.
Vernon Brou image.
|
| ** 8772 gracilis;
Graceful Underwing, wingspan 40-45mm.
Gracilis closely resembles sordida but the hindwing loop is not complete in gracilis as it is in sordida. Gracilis also tends to have a darker
inner margin and there is frequently (99% of the time, Dale Schweitzer, via Joe Garris), but not always, a basal dash. Sordida never has the basal dash.
|
|
Midsized Orange-Salmon-Red-Scarlet Underwings: Wingspans: 50-72mm
| ** 8857 Catocala ultronia;
Ultronia Underwing, wingspan: 50-63mm.
Fws typically gray-brown, with a distinct and very
dark inner margin and characteristic light brown patch, underscored
by very dark arc, near wingtip.
Underwings can be yellow to orange to salmon.
|
| ** 8857 Catocala ultronia form lucinda;
Ultronia Underwing, wingspan: 50-63mm.
In form lucinda most of the forewing
is bright grey. On all forms there is
extensive orange-salmon colouration on hw ventral surface,
and there is a dark discal lunule.
|
| Catocala ultronia,
form nigrescens, the Ultronia Underwing, wingspan: 50-63mm.
In the melanic form nigrescens, the dorsal forewing is very dark.
Even darker subapical arc, basal dash and dash near anal angle are still visible.
Dark basal hairs on hindwing.
Harold J. Vermes slide, used with permission from his son.
|
|
In form celia there is a wide, light grey band separating a dark region along inner margin and
a dark patch near the apex.
The ventral surface of forewings of all forms has a generous suffusion
of orange-salmon scales in the lower half of the median area.
|
Catocala ultronia, Jay County, July 28, 2009 - July 31, 2009, scott Mescher.
 |
** 8779 serena
Serene Underwing.
Head, collar and abdomen are brown while thorax is grey.
Am and pm lines are thin but very dark and distinct on an
otherwise drab, almost uniformly olive-grey forewing.
Black marginal band of the lower wings is indented at the center,
and relatively narrow, deep yellow median band parallels this
indentation. Basal hairs are brown.
Catocala serena courtesy of
Carroll Rudy, July 28, Calumet County, WI.
|
Catocala serena, Jay County, August 23, 2009 - August 25, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| #8778 Catocala habilis;
55-65mm. Note large "M" on thorax and
"pork chop" shaped, light coloured subreniform spot that becomes very
dark in its constriction at juncture with pme line. Pm
line narrow but dark and distinct, outwardly lined with
narrow suffusion of white scales, followed by broader band of brown
scales, and then another broader suffusion of white scales up to
very regular dentation of subterminal line. There is always
significant "bleeding" of yellow-orange to salmon scales into
hw fringes.
Large reniform spot has brown center, faintly edged with black, then
white, then black again. Joe Garris image.
|
Catocala habilis, Jay County, August 20, 2009 - September 26, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| #8817 briseis;
Briseis Underwing; unconfirmed
60-70mm.
Fws predominantly mottled dark-grey-brown with some lighter areas 1) between pm and subterminal lines, 2) at very base of
am and pm lines along inner margin, and 3) over subreniform spot running diagonally toward costa.
Pm lines do not have greatly elongated and sharly pointed "teeth" near apex.
The hindwing fringe is white and unbroken and inner black band (fairly even) reaches inner margin.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| #8795 Catocala palaeogama
; wingspan: 60-70mm
Subreniform spot is closed, does not approach pm line, and
is smaller than in C. habilis.
All forms have characteristic orange, heavily barred fringe to
apex, and irregular bands on hws. Hw basal median
area is heavily suffused with dark brown to black scales.
There is dark bar in outer half of median area,
paralleling inner margin halfway between
inner margin and light, closed subreniform spot.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| #8795 Catocala palaeogama
form phalanga; wingspan: 60-70mm.
In this form, the forewing basal area and subterminal
area are very dark against a much lighter background.
The dark bar in the outer half of the
median area, paralleling the inner margin halfway between
the inner margin and the light, closed subreniform spot is especially
evident. Joe Garris image.
|
Catocala palaeogama, Jay County, August 5, 2009 - September 26, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| ** 8770
Catocala innubens;
Betrothed; 55-72mm.
Forewing is mottled with white, grey and brown, and
subrenifrom spot tends to be lighter in colour, although it is
sometimes obscured by an indistinct blackish bar which runs from
middle of basal/thorax connection to just below much lighter
apex at outer margin.
Jim Vargo image. |
| ** 8770
Catocala innubens form scintillans;
Betrothed; 55-72mm.
In form scintillans most of the basal area (all but lower third) and all of the median area of the forewing is dark reddish brown.
The area outside the pm line is grey.
Vernon A Brou image. |
Catocala innubens, Jay County, September 4, 2009, Scott Mescher.
| ** 8851
Catocala coccinata;
Scarlet; 57-70mm.
There are usually diffuse basal and anal dashes on an otherwise light
grey, mottled fw.
Hindwing fringe is white (often with some salmon scaling) and is
heavily checked.
I find "tooth" just below pair of very elongated "teeth" is
much reduced and is quite rounded, usually allowing considerable room
for lighter patch of scales. Dark bar crosses thorax.
Reniform spot tends be to light, often with greenish cast.
Joe Garris image.
|
| ** 8840
Catocala illecta;
Magdalen Underwing, wingspan: 60-70mm
The forewing pattern and colouration is much like that of concumbens,
pale grey with faint black lines.
Hindwings are light yellow and the irregular inner black band
terminates well before the inner margin. James K. Adams image.
|
|
To avoid excessive download times (many images of various forms have been added) I have split this page into two sections. To visit the
Catocala with plain black or banded underwings, pink underwings, or the larger orange, salmon or red underwings,
click on Indiana Catocala #2.
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