Catocala praeclara
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmmpree-CLAIR-uh
Grote and Robinson, 1866

Catocala praeclara courtesy of Cindy Mead, Michigan.

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 praeclara, the Praeclara Underwing, (wingspan: 40-50mm) flies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and through to Nova Scotia maybe??? in Canada. Subspecies praeclara manitoba flies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and in the US states of North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

In the US nominate praeclara flies in Maine south to Florida, west to Kansas unconfirmed and Minnesota.

It has also been recorded in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Catocala praeclara, Monhegan Island, Maine,
September 1, 2006, courtesy of Steve Nanz.

The forewing is a pale greenish-grey with considerable contrasting brown shading beyond post medial line. There is a black basal dash very close to the inner margin and another dash, higher up in the median area. Note the contrasting shapes of the reniform and subreniform spots. Catocala praeclara courtesy of Canadian Biodiverstiy Information Facility

Vernon Brou writes, "Praeclara's forewings can be silver, green or purple, depending on the locale across the eastern US."

Catocala praeclara, July 21, 2006, Peterborough, Ontario, courtesy of Tim Dyson.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS: Catocala praeclara are usually on the wing from July to September. The Catocala praeclara caterpillar shows a preference for chokeberry and juneberry. With much patience Tim Dyson was able to lure this one to some mashed banana on a stick after it reported to a bedsheet below his cabin light. Catocala praeclara, verso, July 21, 2006, Peterborough, Ontario, courtesy of Tim Dyson.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

Catocala praeclara, Monhegan Island, Maine,
September 1, 2006, courtesy of Steve Nanz.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala praeclara females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their antennae to track the scent plume.

Catocala praeclara, Monhegan Island, Maine,
September 1, 2006, courtesy of Steve Nanz.

EGGS, CATERPILLARS, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited on tree/bush 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.

Amelanchier Crataegus Crataegus calpodendron....... Photinia Photinia X prunifolia Photinia melanocarpa

Service berry/Juneberry/Shadbush Hawthorn Red haw/Pear hawthorn/Urn-tree haw Photinia Photinia Black chokeberry

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