Catocala badia
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmmBAY-dee-uh
Grote and Robinson, 1866

The Bay Underwing, adapted from Barnes and McDunnough Fig VII-16 by Bill Oehlke.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Catocala badia moth flies in New York and Connecticut.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala badia probably flies as a single generation. The Catocala badia caterpillar shows a preference for Comptonia peregrina (sweetfern) and Myrica cerifera (Southern bayberry/Southern wax myrtle) and Myrica pensylvanica (Northern bayberry).

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from .

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala badia 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. Mature larvae Image courtesy of

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.

Comptonia peregrina Myrica cerifera Myrica pensylvanica.....

Sweetfern Southern bayberry/Southern wax myrtle Northern bayberry

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