Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Catocala Members:	60 NC Records

Catocala epione (Drury, 1773) - Epione Underwing

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Erebinae

Tribe:
Catocalini

P3 Number:
930764

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 Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical 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
Immature 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: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on hickories (Carya spp.). Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list Pignut Hickory (C. glabra), Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata), Sand Hickory (C. pallida), and Mockernut Hickory (C. tomentosa). Barnes and MacDunnough (1918) noted that larvae refused all foods in captivity except hickories, and Sargent (1976) reared it on Shagbark Hickory. We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

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 SNR [S4S5]

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

49 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-06-05 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-06-05 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-04-21 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-04-21 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-04-21 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-15 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-15 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-15 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15 Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15 Scotland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-22 Davidson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2023-06-21 Cabarrus Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-06-18 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-06-18 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-06-13 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-13 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-09 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-09 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-26 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-07-24 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-06-26 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2021-06-22 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2021-06-15 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: