Catocala messalina Guen‚e, 1852
One of the least often observed yet most distinctive small North American Catocala as an adult, with plain
light grayish forewings, and yellow hindwings lacking the characteristic medial black band (only members of
the amica complex present comparable hindwings). The larva of messalina is also distinctive, and nothing like the
larvae of the
amica complex,
but with dorsal and ventral pattern similar to the Amorpha-feeding
abbreviatella and
whitneyi.
No wild larvae
of messalina have been reported yet, but it is a Quercus feeder (based on rearing experiments with
hatchlings from the two females from which viable eggs have been secured so far, see images below).
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