Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-45mm
| **8878 Catocala amica TM;
Girlfriend; 35-40mm;
Black postmedian band is absent from dorsal (upper)
surface of hindwing, but it is present on ventral surface.
Moths come in to lights and to bait.
Catocala amica lineella is sometimes treated as a subspecies;
sometimes as a distinct species.
John Himmelman image. |
| ** 8878.1 lineella WO;
Little Lined Underwing; 35-40mm;
No marginal black band
on hindwing. Fw subreniform spot is pale and boldy
outlined with black. Similar light brownish-gray patch in
upper half of median area near pm line, and just between
subreniform spot and antemedian line, similarly
coloured light patch paralleling am lne.
Reniform spot dark, less distinct, in generally darker
area. Form "curvifascia": diffuse black-brown arc from
mid costa region toward mid outer margin.
|
| ** 8874 Catocala minuta TM;
Little Underwing, 35-45mm;
Fw grey-brown, greatly widened, white, st line
(near costa only).
Hw outer black band unbroken & inner band
in complete loop, brown scaling along
im.
"eureka" Schwarz: blackish area between am & pm lines;
"hiseri" Cassino: dull grey fw, 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 inner margin.
|
| ** 8873 similis WO;
Similar Underwing; 35-45mm;
Pale triangular patch from postmedial line along costa,
pointed at apex, light-coloured, tear-shaped reniform
spot distinguish similis. Subreniform
spot 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 almost straight for most of
length. Tim Dyson photo.
|
| ** 8846 sordida WO;
Sordid Underwing;, 37-45mm.
Fw lighter along costa & darker along 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.
|
Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-56mm
These tend to be slightly larger on average than preceding group.
| ** 8876 Catocala micronympha WO;
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.
|
| ** 8864 Catocala grynea TM; 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 recto and verso, Worthington, Nobles County, August 9, 2009, Tom Middagh.
| ** 8865
praeclara WO; 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 WO;
Charming Underwing; 40-50mm.
Fw pale basal area distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
Fw has dark contrasting lines as in crataegi.
There is also considerable brown in subterminal area
and 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 mira WO;
Wonderful Underwing; 40-50mm.
Fw pale basal area distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
Fw lacks dark contrasting lines of crataegi &
blandula. Considerable brown in subterminal area
and subreniform spot is very conspicuous and usually brown.
Light area runs obliquely from costa to subreniform spot.
Noticeable space along inner margin between
antemedial and postmedial lines.
Hw deep orange with complete inner black band.
Outer black band is unbroken
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8858 Catocala crataegi WO;
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. |
abbreviatella yes, LG
| ** 8858 Catocala nuptialis TM;
Married Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm
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.
|
| ** 8843
whitneyi TM;
Whitney's Underwing; 43-50mm.
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.
|
 |
** 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 TM;
Sweetfern Underwing; 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.
|
|
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.
|
 |
** 8779 serena
Serene Underwing.
The head and collar and abdomen are brown while the thorax is grey.
The am and pm lines are thin but very dark and distinct on an
otherwise drab, almost uniformly olive-grey forewing.
The black marginal band of the lower wings is indented at the center,
and the relatively narrow, deep yellow median band parallels this
indentation. Basal hairs are brown.
Catocala serena courtesy of
Carroll Rudy, July 28, Calumet County, Wisconsin.
|
| #8778
Catocala habilis;
wingspan: 55-65mm
Large "M" on thorax,
"pork chop" shaped, light coloured subreniform spot very
dark in constriction at juncture with pml. Pml narrow, dark, distinct, outwardly lined with
narrow suffusion of white scales, followed by broader band of brown
scales, then broader suffusion of white scales up to
very regular dentation of sbtml line.
Significant "bleeding" of yellow-orange-salmon scales into
hw fringes.
Large reniform spot has brown center, faintly edged in black, then
white, then black again.
|
| #8817
briseis TM;
Briseis Underwing;
60-70mm;
Fws predominantly mottled dark-grey-brown with some lighter areas 1) between postmedial & subterminal lines, 2) at base of am & pm
lines along inner margin, 3) over subreniform spot running diagonally toward costa.
Pm lines do not have greatly elongated and sharly pointed "teeth" near apex.
Hw fringe white & unbroken, inner black band (fairly even) reaches inner margin.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8770
Catocala innubens TM;
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. |
| ** 8851
Catocala coccinata TM;
Scarlet; 57-70mm.
Usually diffuse basal & anal dashes on otherwise light
grey, mottled forewing.
Hw fringe white (often with some salmon scaling),
heavily checked.
"Tooth" just below pair of very elongated "teeth"
much reduced & quite rounded, usually allowing considerable room
for lighter patch. Dark bar crosses thorax.
Reniform spot tends be to light, often with greenish cast.
Joe Garris image.
|
|
Solid Black Underwings: Smallest to Largest, Similar Species Paired
| ** 8781
judith yes,
Judith's Underwing; 45-55mm;
one of smaller "black" underwings.
Fw a uniform
light grey with thin and only slightly darkened antemedial, median
and postmedial lines. There are no darkened dashes (slight anal dash)
or transverse lines. The reniform area is slightly darkened while the
area just before the subterminal line is a bit lighter. Note absence of
hw white fringe.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| ** 8773
Catocala epione TM;
Epione Underwing; 55-65mm.
The pm line is squared and has a brown band and then a light band
just outside the line. The hindwing is black with pure white fringe
with no barring.
John Himmelman image.
|
|
Catocala retecta WO;
60-75mm.
Note light coloured, elongated & open subreniform spot
interrupting dark, diffuse ark running through center of
wing from basal area (body-wing juncture) to fw
apex. Center of reniform spot brown & there is brown
area just below costa running to the inner margin just outside the pm
line. The off-white hindwing fringe is only lightly checked along the
wing veins.
Joe Garris image.
|
| ** 8794
Catocala lacrymosa TM;
Tearful Underwing, wingspan: 60-82mm
The forewing is highly variable with a mixture of black, brown
(wing tips and outside postmedial line) and dark grey scaling.
There are usually whitish crescents, along the inner margin at the
base of the antemedial and postmedial lines.
The hindwings are black with white checkered fringe, turning black
near the anal angle.
|
| ** 8791
Catocala insolabilis WO;
Inconsolable; 65-75mm. The forewing is light grey with blackish shading along the inner
margin. The antemedial and postmedial lines are thin.
The hindwing fringe is very narrow and grey, becoming whiter toward
the apex.
The ventral surface clearly distinguishes insolabis, being almost
completely black except for some white in the basal area.
Vernon A. Brou image.
|
| ** 8792
Catocala vidua WO;
Widow; 70-80mm.>
Fw ground colour light grey.
Distinguished dark arc running through top of reniform spot
to just below apex. Heavy, dark anal and basal
dashes, connecting to dark median bar, running parallel to inner margin.
Am line thick & black in upper half.
Reniform spot consists of two almost
concentric irregular ovals.
Subreniform spot light, open, constricted as it
meets pm line.
Hw black with broad, white fringe, only lightly
interrupted.
Marie Winn image. |
| ** 8793
Catocala maestosa TM;
Sad Underwing; 78-98mm.
Maesotsa is quite similar to, although usually larger than, vidua.
Both have the dark arc from the costa, above the reniform spot, to
the outer margin just below the apex. Maesotsa, however, lacks the
dark bar, found on vidua, parallel to the inner margin.
The reniform spot is brown and there is brown shading just outside
the postmedial line.
The hindwing fringe is white, narrow and heavily barred.
|
|
Large Black Underwings (Banded): Wingspans: 70-80mm
| ** 8803 Catocala relicta
;
Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm:
Considerable variation with regard to black/white
concentrations on fws.
Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas with
blackish scales.
Black hws, with brilliant even white inner band and
white fringe, are distinctive. June until October.
|
| ** 8803 Catocala relicta
;
Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm:
Considerable variation with regard to black/white
concentrations on fws.
Form clara: basal and subterminal
areas predominantly white.
Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas with
blackish scales. Black hws, with brilliant even white inner band and
white fringe, are distinctive. June until October.
|
| ** 8803 Catocala relicta
;
Forsaken, White, Relict; 70-80mm:
Considerable variation with regard to black/white
concentrations on fws.
Form phrynia:
evenly dusted with grey over entire forewing.
Typical specimens have basal and subterminal areas with
blackish scales. Black hws, with brilliant even white inner band and
white fringe, are distinctive. June until October, poplars and willows
|
| ** 8802
Catocala cerogama;
Yellow-Banded; 70-80mm.
Several different forms. Pm line distinct, dark
and has elongate pair of projections. Pm and am lines meet inner
margin in relative proximity. Closed subreniform spot
lighter than surrounding areas, shaped a bit like an
arrowhead with point toward body. Hws are
distinctive. Jean-Benoît Duval image. |
|
Form ruperti: Forewings are almost uniform grey-brown with white scales outlining subterminal line.
The hindwings are
distinctive. Tim Dyson image. |
|
Form bunkeri: Forewings are dark in median and basal areas.
Hw golden band is reduced in thickness. Basal hairs are brown instead of yellow.
The hindwings are
distinctive. Tim Dyson image. |
Large Orange-Salmon Underwings: Wingspans: 65mm, usually 70-95mm
| ** 8822
meskei TM; Meske's Underwing;
65-75mm.
Fws less distinctly marked compared to unijuga,
some red-orange at the hindwing apex and just inside the
fringe along the outer margin in meskei that is lacking in unijuga.
Fw subreniform spot is opened or connected to the
postmedian line. The hindwing postmedian band nearly straight,
turned in and tapering near anal angle.
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8821
semirelicta; Semirelict Underwing;
65-75mm.
Fw ground colour is white with dark lines and shadings.
Diffuse dark bar runs from center of basal area to outer margin a
few mm above anal angle. Note regular dentation of st line.
Inner black bar on hw usually terminates well before
the inner margin.
The form "atala" has a forewing that is uniformly grey.
Unijuga is usually larger and has less contrasting black lines. The
inner black bar on unijuga usually reaches the inner margin.
Tim Dyson image.
|
Catocla semirelicta, Worthingon, Nobles County, september 21, 2009, Tom Middagh.
| ** 8801
Catocala ilia; Ilia;
wingspan: 65-82mm.
Several different forms,
most have characteristic white area in and around
reniform spot. Diffuse dark arc running from this
spot to just below apex. Subreniform spot squarish, concave inner and outer edges
and elongated constriction connecting it to pml.
White dots near fw om in character
with the overall "contrasting" appearance.
|
| ** 8801
Catocala ilia; Ilia;
form conspicua
In this form the entire reniform spot is heavily suffused with white scaling on
an otherwise darker ground colour. Hence the form name "conspicua".
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8801
Catocala ilia; Ilia;
form satanas
In this melanic form the entire forewing, including the reniform spot is very dark. Hence the form name "satanas".
The dark basal streak is still evident on this form.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8801
Catocala ilia; Ilia;
form normani
In this semi-melanic form the entire forewing, excluding the reniform spot, is relatively dark.
The brownish, kidney-shaped center of the reniform spot is outlined in white.
The basal streak and subapical arc are still visible.
Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8857.1
Catocala umbrosa;
mm;
Double brown am line, inward line fainter, filled with off white; reniform spot brown
center outlined in black , off white and black again; subreniform, large, pale brown, closed.
Pm line wit htwo elongated upper teeth, next tooth reduced, next two progressively longer, rounded,
final lobe rounded and shorter. HW with dark scaling/hairs in basal median area along im
|
| ** 8808 luciana;
Luciana Underwing; 70-80mm.
Luciana has pale grey brown fw with very distinct am
& pm lines.
Subreniform spot has elongated narrow "tail" that seems to
open through postmedial line.
Hw inner black band does not reach inner margin.
Fringe is checked and paler (almost yellow) than
salmon ground colour.
|
| ** 8771 Catocala piatrix ;
Penitent, wingspan: 68-84mm.
Fw: light-colored band/bar extending from light coloured, triangular
subreniform spot along the am line to the costa. Brown, kidney-shaped reniform spot surrounded in pale grey, outlined in black,
usually with distinct black along wing veins in a dark area outside the reniform spot.
Hw: fringe lightly barred;s lighter in color
than deeper orange on rest of wing.
|
| Catocala junctura;
Joined Underwing; 67-85mm.
Fw usually dark brownish-gray to evenly powdered
blue-grey w/o significant markings. Doubled reniform spot
often obscure. Thin, slightly darker am & pm
lines run from costa to im and are not widely
spaced at im.
Hw salmon or orange-pink, narrow inner black band
turns in sharply, does not meet dark-haired im,
distinguishing it from unijuga.
Gary Anweiler image. |
| ** 8805 unijuga;
Once-married; 70-90mm. Unijuga has
fairly wide black hw inner band (almost reaching inner margin), dark hairs in basal-median area along hw im;
very distinctive patterning in forewing.
Meskei tend to have narrower band and dustier (less distinct) looking fw.
Semirelicta tend to have inner bands that terminate well before
inner margins. Also note the very white fringe on both the forewings and hindwings.
Carroll Rudy image.
|
| ** 8806 Catocala parta;
Mother Underwing; 70-85mm.
The black dashes in the basal, subapical and anal areas help to
identify this species. The hindwings may be yellow to
yellowish-orange but more often are salmon-red. Note the
face-head-like markings on the thorax.
In the hindwing, the first (nearest the apex) black protrusion into
the white fringe is "noticeably" larger than the others.
|
| ** 8798 Catocala neogama;
70-85mm.
Note brown head & thorax, larger size as compared to
palaeogama. Neogama specimens slightly smaller
than subnata, darker grey brown forewings with more
pronounced markings. Examination of hind tibia sometimes needed
for id. Neogama tibia tend to be flattened &
unevenly & sparsely spined; subnata tibia cylindrical
with spines dense & uniform in distribution.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| ** 8797 Catocala subnata;
Youthful Underwing; 75-90mm.
Fws greyish white with blue-grey & light brown scales.
subnata usually have hws brighter
yellow than those of neogama. Neogama usually
have basal dash; absent in male subnata, but present in females.
Magnification of hind tibia helps to distinguish two species:
sub: cylindrical hind tibia;
neo: compressed or flattened hind tibia.
sub: tibia ventral surface densely covered with evenly
distributed spines;
neo: tibia ventral surface sparsely covered with sporadic
spines.
|
| ** 8796 Catocala nebulosa;
Clouded; 75-86mm.
Moths have a prominent dark brown upper-half-basal patch that extends
to and ends at antemedial line. Apical area also tends to be
brown, much darker than median area but not as dark as basal patch.
The anal angle also has the darker brown scaling.
The pm line is distinct near costa and inner margin, but becomes
weak between the two. It meets inner margin in relative close
proximity to am line.
Closed subreniform spot is large and connects to the
pm line via a thin line.
|
|
Medium-Large Pink Underwings: Wingspans: 70-95mm
| ** 8833 concumbens
Sleepy Underwing or
Pink Underwing; 60-75mm.
This brown thoracic collar is quite evident in this image as is the
interruption in the pm line by the open subreniform spot.
The white hindwing fringe is only lightly checked
on the wing veins. The vibrant pink bans are
distinct in colour and also in their relatively smooth contour.
|
| ** 8832 Catocala cara;
Darling; 70-85mm.
Deep maroon almost purple cast to forewings, mixed with
very pale green. Lower half of am & pm lines barely
visible. No distinctive bars or dashes. The two upper
"teeth" on the pm line are thin and long.
The hindwing bands are pink. There is heavy black checking on the
off-white hindwing fringe. The relatively thick black median band of the
hindwing almost reaches the inner margin which is usually heavily
adorned with dark hairs.
Tim Dyson image.
|
|
** 8834 amatrix
Sweetheart Underwing;75-95mm.
Very skittish and frequently hides in caves, under
bridges, under tree bark, etc. by day, resting with head down.
Hw patterning and colouration are similar to that of
Catocala concumbens, but the large size (wingspan 75-95mm)
and the dark bar running from the basal area to just below the apex
distinguishes Catocala amatrix. See large
Catocala amatrix courtesy of
Joan F. Rickert, Aug 30, Taylor County.
|
|
Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.
|
