Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: 45 NC Records

Catocala epione (Drury, 1773) - Epione Underwing


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ErebinaeTribe: CatocaliniP3 Number: 930764.00 MONA Number: 8773.00
Comments: One of 103 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 67 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Included by Barnes and McDunnough (1918) in their Group III (also adopted by Forbes, 1954), which also contains Catocala consors. Both are Hickory-feeding species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Sargent (1976)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-small, blackish Underwing with a bright white fringe on its hindwings. The ground color of the forewings is dark gray, with blackish shading in the median area; the reniform is largely brown and subreniform is pale. The antemedian and postmedian lines are jet black and are shaded inwardly and outwardly, respectively, with brown; the brown band on the outside of the postmedian line is particularly conspicuous and is followed by a diffuse pale subterminal line. The hindwings are jet black but bordered by a pure white fringe with no dark checks (Forbes, 1954; Sargent, 1976). No other predominantly dark underwing has the gleaming white hindwing fringe.
Wingspan: 55-65 mm (Sargent, 1976)
Adult Structural Features: The valves in the male are somewhat asymmetric, with an outer tooth on the right valve only (Forbes, 1954, for Group III generally)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Pale ash gray mottled with reddish; with a broken dark dorsal line, a pale lateral line, and separate black ventral spots. Black bands on the head connected across the vertex by a solid, black bar (Forbes, 1954)
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Possibly occurring statewide, although we do not yet have any records from either the Barrier Islands or High Mountains
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Univoltine, with adults flying primarily in June and July
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from a wide variety of hardwood forests, ranging from bottomlands to sandhills to dry ridges
Larval Host Plants: Stenophagous, feeding on Hickories (Carya spp.). Barnes and MacDunnough (1918) noted that larvae refused all foods in captivity except hickories; Sargent (1976) reared it on Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata).
Observation Methods: Comes to blacklights to some extent and also to bait. This species is easily flushed during the day; a number of our records come from daytime searches
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Occurs widely across the state, feeds on common and widespread host plants, and occupies a variety of hardwood forests. Appears to be secure in North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Catocala epione - Epione Underwing

Photos: 25

Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-26
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-06-13
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2020-06-27
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-21
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-20
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-06-19
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Parker Backstrom, Brian Bockhahn on 2020-06-08
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, L. Carlson, J. Jarvis, P. Backstrom, L. Purvis on 2020-06-08
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-06-26
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-06-26
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-06-14
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-06-14
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2018-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2018-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-07-15
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. A. Anderson on 2015-07-04
Surry Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2013-07-08
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: ASH on 2012-06-10
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: ASH on 2012-06-10
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-06-22
Warren Co.
Comment: Confirmed via specimen by Bo Sulivan
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-06-22
Warren Co.
Comment: Confirmed via specimen by Bo Sulivan		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2011-06-12
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2010-06-04
Montgomery Co.
Comment: Several seen