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 |
"Moon River" |
DISTRIBUTION:Catocala ilia, the Ilia Underwing (also known as the Beloved Underwing or the Wife) (wingspan: 65-82mm), flies from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to at least Saskatchewan in Canada, through New England, (Connecticut) through New Jersey to Florida to Texas and Oklahoma and north through Missouri and South Dakota to Minnesota, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Lep. Soc. season summary reports a specimen in Placer County, California.There is considerable variation in forewing patterning. In the form conspicua, the reniform spot is white against a dark background. Conspicua below in James K. Adams image. Note the cream fringe and deeply scalloped outer margin. |
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The ability of this moth to blend in with its background is very apparent in this Tim Dyson copyright image (August 31, 2004, Peterborough, Ontario) to the left.Other form names, previously assigned, include "confusa" where the forewing is an even grey-brown blend, "umbrosa" where there is no white in or around the reniform spot, "normani", a semi-melanic form, dark from base to postmedial line and "satanas", a melanic form with an entirely black forewing. "Normani" and "satanas" also tend to have wider black bands (in some cases breaking the red band) in the lower wings. |
See an extremely rare form at Catocala ilia
The form names, above, including "umbrosa" Worthington are invalid in accordance with the ICZN (international code of zoological nomenclature) (forms hold no official status as a species). Umbrosa was subsequently found to be a distinct species from ilia, and Brou 2002 reapplied the name umbrosa, not as a form, but a newly described species.It is still nice to differentiate those moths within the species that have consistent distinct characters even if they do come from the same female who may be of a different "form" from her offspring.
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Catocala ilia "form" conspicua (right, above), July 28, Peterborough, Ontario, courtesy of Tim Dyson. The following evening Tim encountered the much darker form below, lacking white in or around the reniform spot. Larry Gall has confirmed it as form "satanas".
Catocala ilia "satanas", courtesy of Tim Dyson, id confirmed by Larry Gall.
Tim Dyson has an extensive bait trail which he inspects on a regular basis. He has encountered many of the lesser known forms.On July 26-27, 2006, Tim was able to get this shot of Catocala ilia "normani" from Peterborough, Ontario. This semi-melanic form has been confirmed as "normani" by Larry Gall. The forewings are not quite as dark as in "satanas", and the reniform spot is outlined in white. |
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Catocala ilia, Monroe County, New York, July 19, 2004,
courtesy of Steve Daniel copyright.
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
Catocala ilia are usually on the wing from June to
September.
The Catocala ilia caterpillar feeds on black, burr, red and white oaks.
SCENTING AND MATING:Catocala ilia females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their antennae to track the scent plume. |
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Ron Nelson, teamed with Gabriel Larrabee, sent me the image below of Catocala ilia eggs from Milwaukee.
Penultimate instar top and final instar courtesy of James K. Adams.
Ron Nelson, teamed with Gabriel Larrabee, sent me the images below of Catocala ilia pupae from Milwaukee.
Quercus alba |
White oak |
Catocala ilia courtesy of Jessse Donavan, New Jersey.
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Catocala ilia, March 25, Jasper, South Carolina, courtesy of Dr. Wasil Khan.
Catocala ilia, Marion County, Florida, courtesy of Leroy Simon, id by Vernon Brou.
Catocala ilia, Marion County, Florida, courtesy of Leroy Simon, id by Vernon Brou.