Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Catocala Members: 60 NC Records

Catocala epione (Drury, 1773) - Epione Underwing


Catocala epione
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Catocala epioneCatocala epioneCatocala epione
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, 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.
Catocala epioneAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
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.
Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-06-05
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-06-05
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-04-21
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-04-21
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-04-21
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22
Chatham Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-15
Rowan Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-15
Rowan Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-15
Rowan Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08
Wake Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08
Wake Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-07-22
Davidson Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2023-06-21
Cabarrus Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-06-18
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-06-18
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-06-13
Wake Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-13
Buncombe Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-09
Madison Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-09
Madison Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-07-26
Graham Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Lior Carlson on 2021-07-24
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-06-26
Wake Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2021-06-22
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: John Petranka on 2021-06-15
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-06-13
Chatham Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Lior Carlson on 2020-06-27
Orange Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-21
Guilford Co.
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Catocala epioneRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-20
Guilford Co.
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