Catocala flebelis
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm FLEH-beh-lis
Grote, 1872

Catocala flebelis courtesy of J.K. Adams.

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:

Catocala flebelis, The Mournful Underwing, (wingspan: 54-65mm), flies from Massachusetts and Connecticut south to North Carolina and Georgia, west to Arkansas and north to Michigan and Illinois and into southern Ontario.

There is a diffuse black band running from the basal area to the outer margin just below the apex, interrupted by a pale grey subreniform spot. The reniform spot is filled with brown and there is additional brown outside the postmedial line. There is no anal dash as there is in angusi.

The hindwings have white fringe.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala flebelis are on the wing from July to September.

The Catocala flebelis caterpillar feeds on hickories.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala flebelis 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.

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.

Carya glabra...... Carya ovata

Pignut hickory Shagbark hickory

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