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Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012) | Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLD | Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Sargent (1976) | Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011) | |
| Adult Markings: A large, brown Underwing with a pale apical spot and broad orange and black hindwings. The pattern and coloration are variable, with some sexual differences and several named forms. The ground color of the forewings is typically rich reddish brown, overlain with pale gray dusting and often streaked with dark brown or blackish (Sargent, 1976); males are often fairly uniform in color and females more extensively marked with black. A black streak is often found between the pale subreniform spot and the postmedian and in some females, there is also a dark streak from the base of the wing to the subreniform. The lower portion of the pale apical patch is typically bordered by a dark subapical dash but the upper/inner portion is bordered by a white segment of the subterminal line. In form scintillans, the area between the basal area and the postmedian is completely filled with black, leaving most of the subterminal area pale apart from a black subapical dash; a pale patch is also located in the lower half of the basal area. The hindwings are orange with fairly broad black bands. Sargent notes that other Catocalas with rich reddish brown forewings and banded hindwings usually have more yellowish rather than orange banding. Catocala micronympha has a form - grisella -- that is similar to form scintillans of innubens but is much smaller and the entire base of the forewing is somewhat pale, not just a strip along the inner margin. |
| Wingspan: 55-65 mm (Sargent, 1976) |
| Adult Structural Features: Male valves are asymmetrical, with the left valve possessing a short, ventral hook (Forbes, 1948 - features of Group I) |
| Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens. |
| Immatures and Development: A larva illustrated by Wagner et al. (2011) is purplish gray with pale orange stripes but waxy forms also exist. There is a bulge over A8 and rootlet setae are absent. Bright lemon-yellow patches are located at the base of the prolegs. |
| Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants. |