Underwing Moths (Catocala) & Larvae

A companion guide for iNaturalists

Nearctic Species

   

Publications

Taxonomic Notes

Rearing:
Wild larvae
Eggs from females

iNat Wishlist:
ilia vs. umbrosa
Larvae on Rosaceae
mtDNA: praeclara

More About: Maps & images
The authors

Catocala amestris
Strecker, 1874

The larvae of the 4 regularly observed Amorpha-feeding Catocala are all comparable but can be separated from other species in North America by: their pattern consists of white, yellowish and brownish to black stripes both dorsally and laterally (often garishly so), a stripy head capsule face with no dark band above the vertex, no A5 saddle patch, no A5/A8 protuberances, no lateral filaments, and a venter with well-defined borders outlining the lighter mid-ventral area which itself sports prominent darker stippling. The life history of the fifth species, the presumed Floridian endemic slotteni, remains unknown. Larvae of abbreviatella and whitneyi both are typically found in prairie-like habitats where Amorpha canescens grows, and are the closest morphologically, with abbreviatella more brownish and with the body striping more continuous than the dot-like striping of whitneyi. Larvae of amestris and nuptialis are found in a variety of habitats where their preferred foodplant Amorpha fruticosa grows, notably along waterways.

All images at this site by L. Gall and/or R. Borth (unless otherwise attributed), please contact us with questions or requests