Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-45mm
| **8878 Catocala amica;
Girlfriend; wingspan: 35-40mm
The black postmedian band is absent from the dorsal (upper)
surface of the hindwing, but it is present on the 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;
Little Lined Underwing; wingspan: 35-40mm.
This species does not have marginal black band
on hindwing. Forewing 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 antemedian line there is similarly
coloured light patch paralleling am lne.
The reniform spot is dark, less distinct and in a generally darker
area. Form "curvifascia" has diffuse black-brown arc from the
mid costa region toward mid outer margin. Tim Dyson image.
|
| ** 8874 Catocala minuta;
Little Underwing, wingspan: 35-45mm.
The fw is generally grey-brown with greatly widened
(near costa only), white, st line.
The outer black band of hw is unbroken and inner band
forms complete loop with considerable brown scaling along
inner margin. Several forms:
"eureka" Schwarz has blackish area between am and pm lines;
"hiseri" Cassino has dull grey fw with very faint markings;
"mellitula" Hulst has blackish patch in basal area from costa to
inner margin;
"obliterata" Schwarz is melanic form, almost completely
black fw;
"parvula" W. H. Edwards has broad dark patch along fw inner margin.
Steve Walter image. |
| ** 8873 similis;
Similar Underwing, wingspan: 35-45mm.
The pale triangular patch from the postmedial line along the costa,
pointed at the apex, and the light-coloured, tear-shaped reniform
spot distinguish this species. The subreniform
spot also projects considerably beyond the
reniform anteriorally at a right angle to the line of the subreniform.
Many specimens also have a small, light coloured, flattened oval spot
about halfway between the pm and am lines at about the midpoint of
the reniform spot. The 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.
|
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.
|
| ** 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.
|
| ** 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. |
| ** 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 mira;
Wonderful Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm.
The pale basal area of the forewing distinguishes mira from
blandula (dark brown) and crataegi (black).
The forewing lacks the dark contrasting lines of crataegi and
blandula. 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.
There is also a noticeable space along the inner margin between the
antemedial and postmedial lines.
The hindwing is deep orange and has a complete inner black band.
The outer black band is unbroken
Tim Dyson image. |
| ** 8858 Catocala crataegi WO;
Hawthorn Underwing, wingspan: 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. |
| ** 8841 Catocala abbreviatella;
Abbreviated Underwing; wingspan: 40-50mm.
The forewing is uniformly colored with narrow black lines on
anterior half. The brown reniform spot is ringed with black.
The outer black band of hindwing is abbreviated and then
continued with a dot. The inner black band also terminates well
before the inner margin.
Similar species: Catocala nuptialis has solid black
reniform spot. C. whitneyi has broad dark triangles in middle of
forewing.
|
| ** 8842 Catocala nuptialis;
Maried 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;
Whitney's Underwing, wingspan 45-50mm.
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 45-50mm.
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.
|
| ** 8776 coelebs;
Old Maid Underwing, wingspan 54-56mm.
The gray region from the forewing pm line to the outer margin readily
distinguishes this species. The fringe is gray on the lower wing from the brief orange dash at the hindwing apex to the anal angle.
Tim Dyson image.
|
|
Midsized Orange-Salmon-Red-Scarlet Underwings: Wingspans: 50-72mm
| ** 8857 Catocala ultronia;
Ultronia Underwing, wingspan: 50-63mm.
The forewings are typically gray-brown, with a distinct and very
dark inner margin and a characteristic light brown patch, underscored
by a very dark arc, near the wingtip.
There can be considerable variation from one specimen to the next.
Underwings can be yellow to orange to salmon.
|
| Catocala ultronia,
the Ultronia Underwing, wingspan: 50-63mm.
There is extensive orange-salmon colouration on the ventral surface
of the hindwings and there is a dark discal lunule.
The ventral surface of the forewings also has a generous suffusion
of orange-salmon scales in the lower half of the median area.
Joe Garris photo.
|
 |
** 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.
|
| #8778 Catocala habilis;
wingspan: 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 the postmedian line. The pm
line is narrow but dark and distinct. It is 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 a
very regular dentation of subterminal line. There is always
significant "bleeding" of yellow-orange to salmon scales into
hindwing fringes.
Large reniform spot has brown center, faintly edged with black, then
white, then black again. Joe Garris image.
|
| #8817 briseis;
Briseis Underwing;
wingspan: 60-70mm
The forewings are predominantly a mottled dark-grey-brown with some lighter areas 1) between the postmedial and subterminal lines, 2) at the very base of the antemedial and postmedial lines along the inner margin, and 3)over the subreniform spot running diagonally toward the costa.
The postmedial lines do not have greatly elongated and sharly pointed "teeth" near the apex.
The hindwing fringe is white and unbroken and the inner black band (fairly even) reaches the 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
the apex, and irregular bands on hindwings. The hw basal median
area is heavily suffused with dark brown to black scales.
There is a dark bar in outer half of median area,
paralleling the 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.
|
| ** 8770
Catocala innubens;
Betrothed; wingspan: 55-72mm
The forewing is mottled with white, grey and brown, and the
subrenifrom spot tends to be lighter in colour, although it is
sometimes obscured by an indistinct blackish bar which runs from the
middle of the basal/thorax connection to just below the much lighter
apex at the outer margin.
Jim Vargo image. |
| ** 8851
Catocala coccinata;
Scarlet; wingspan: 57-70mm
There are usually diffuse basal and anal dashes on an otherwise light
grey, mottled forewing.
Hindwing fringe is white (often with some salmon scaling) and is
heavily checked.
I find the "tooth" just below pair of very elongated "teeth" is
much reduced and is quite rounded, usually allowing considerable room
for a lighter patch of scales. Dark bar crosses the 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.
|
|
Solid Black Underwings: Smallest to Largest, Similar Species Paired
| ** 8781
judith,
Judith's Underwing, (wingspan: 45-55mm),
is one of the smaller "black" underwings. The forewing is 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 ;
Epione Underwing, wingspan: 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;
wingspan: 60-75mm
Note the light coloured, elongated and open subreniform spot
which interrupts the dark, diffuse ark running through the center of
the wing from the basal area (body-wing juncture) to the forewing
apex. The center of the reniform spot is brown and there is a brown
area just below the 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.
|
| ** 8784
obscura;
the Obscure Underwing, (wingspan: 60-72mm),
has dull, grey forewings, usually void of any significant dashes or
streaks, providing for easy identification. The antemedial, median
and postmedial lines of obscura are faint and the subterminal line
region is only slightly paler than the rest of the forewing.
The hindwing fringe is off-white and lightly checked on the veins.
Joe Garris photo.
|
| ** 8794
Catocala lacrymosa;
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;
Inconsolable, wingspan: 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;
Widow; wingspan: 70-80mm
The ground colour of the forewing is light grey. There is a
distinguished dark arc running through the top of the reniform spot
to just below the apex. There are heavy, dark anal and basal
dashes, connecting to a dark median bar, running parallel to the inner margin.
The am line is thick and black in its upper half.
The reniform spot consists of two almost
concentric irregular ovals.
The subreniform spot is light, open, but constricted as it
meets the pm line.
The hindwing is black with broad, white fringe, only lightly
interrupted.
Marie Winn image. |
| ** 8793
Catocala maestosa;
Sad Underwing, wingspan: 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; wingspan: 70-80mm
There is considerable variation with regard to black/white
concentrations on the forewings.
The form clara (depicted), has the basal and subterminal
areas predominantly white; the form phrynia, is
evenly dusted with grey over the entire forewing.
Typical specimens have the basal and subterminal areas filled with
blackish scales. The black hindwings, with a brilliant even white inner band and
white fringe,
are also distinctive.
|
| ** 8802 Catocala cerogama;
Yellow-Banded; wingspan 70-80mm
There are several different forms. The pm line is distinct, dark
and has an elongate pair of projections. The pm and am lines meet the inner
margin in relative proximity. The closed subreniform spot
it lighter than surrounding areas, and it is shaped a bit like an
arrowhead with the point toward the body. The hindwings are
distinctive. Jean-Benoît Duval image. |
|
