Catocala amica
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmm a-MEE-kuh
(Hübner, 1818) Ephesia amica

Catocala amica courtesy of Gerald Fauske (composited by Bill Oehlke).
Richland County, North Dakota, Sheyenne National grasslands, August 16, 1996

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: Noctuidae Group: Noctuinina Subfamily: Catocalinae Genus: Catocala, Schrank, 1802

MIDI MUSIC "Moon River" copyright C. Odenkirk MIDI CITY ON.OFF <bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala amica, the Girlfriend underwing, Hodges# 8878, (wingspan: 35-40mm) flies from Southern Canada through the eastern United States, Connecticut, etc., westward to Oklahoma and Arizona and Minnesota.

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. Catocala jair is a similar species with wider, blunter forewings and a much less dentate post medial line. Catocala amica to the right, courtesy of John Himmelman, Connecticut.

Catocala lineella males (left); Catocala amica pair (right)
Quebec, courtesy of Pierre Legault.

C. lineella generally has a much darker appearance than C. amica.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala amica are usually on the wing from June until September.

The Catocala amica caterpillar shows a preference for oak species and probably limits itself to members of the Quercus genus.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala amica 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.

The caterpillar is gray with faint striping. The fifth abdominal segment is slightly humped and is usually followed by a darkened saddle.

The eighth abdominal segment features pronounced orange warts. The top of the head often has a white and orange spot to each side.

The base of the dorsal hairs is black on the dorsal thorax and black and orange over the abdomen. The fringe hairs are sparse but relatively long.

Image courtesy of David L. Wagner and Valerie Giles.

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.

Quercus alba Quercus bicolor Quercus coccinea Quercus ilicifolia Quercus macrocarpa....... Quercus prinoides Quercus prinus Quercus rubra Quercus stellata Quercus velutina

White oak Swamp white oak Scarlet oak Bear oak Bur oak Dwarf chinkapin oak Chestnut oak Red oak Post oak Black oak

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This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae/Catocala Sites", contact Bill.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.