Catocala neogama
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmnee-OH-gam-uh
(J.E.Smith, 1797) Phalaena neogama

Catocala neogama female, Louisiana, courtesy of Vernon A. Brou.

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 neogama, the Bride Underwing, (wingspan: 70-85mm; Hodges #8798) flies from Ontario and Quebec south through New Jersey to Florida and west through Texas and Oklahoma to Arizona and north to Colorado and Wisconsin. Tom Middagh reports them in Minnesota. Based on a larva find in western Idaho (Ada County) by Steve Danell, id by Larry Gall, this species flies coast to coast.

Catocala neogama, Idaho, courtesy of Steve Danell, id by Larry Gall.

Regarding the image above, Steve Danell writes, "Attached is a picture of a Catocala (I believe) larva I thought you might enjoy. We found it on 6/20/07 in Ada County, Idaho, on a black walnut when it 'jumped' onto my son's shoulder as he climbed the tree. After my son calmed down, without falling out of the tree, we decided to raise this guy to see exactly what it turns out to be. It only comes in the open to eat after it is extremely dark and it thrashes about violently when disturbed!"

Dr. Larry Gall provided the id and indicates it is lightly maculated compared to most C. neogama larvae.

Neogama specimens tend to be slightly smaller than subnata, and have darker grey brown forewings with more pronounced markings.

Visit Catocala neogama images courtesy of Joe Garris.

Examination of hind tibia is sometimes needed for identification. Those of neogama tend to be flattened and unevenly and sparsely spined while tibia of subnata are cylindrical with spines dense and uniform in distribution.

Catocala neogama August 9, 2004, St-Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, Quebec,
females, attracted to bait, courtesy of Pierrre Legault.

Adults come to lights and to bait.

The melanic form "mildredae", Franclemont, has forewings that are entirely black.

Visit C. neogama / C. subnata / C.piatrix comparison.

Catocala subnata, male and female left, courtesy of Pierre Legault;
Catocala neogama, females right, Montreal, Quebec, August 2002

Note the general overall darker appearance of C. neogama as well as the slightly smaller size and the termination of the hindwing median band.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala neogama are on the wing in late July to late September in Quebec (rare), probably late July to late August elsewhere, although June 5 is a collecting date in Dallas, Texas.

The Catocala neogama caterpillar feeds on Carya and Juglans species. There have also been reports of oak as a host.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala neogama 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 larvae hatch the following spring.

Catocala neogama larva, June 4, 2007, Tompkins, New York,
courtesy of Bill Evans, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Bill Evans sent me the larval image above which I have tentatively identified as Catocala neogama. Bill also sent me images of adult moths from the same area which appear to be Catocala neogama and Catocala subnata.

Bill writes of the larvae, "I was wondering if you think the attached picture is a C. neogama larva.

"Several fell out of a black walnut tree on to our deck during a recent storm. They were almost 2 inches in length -- this surprised me because it seemed the walnut leaves had just fully emerged less than two weeks ago."

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 Juglans cinerea Juglans microcarpa...... Juglans nigra Juglans regia Quercus

Hickory Butternut Texas walnut Black walnut English walnut Oak

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