Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« Home »
View PDFErebidae Members: Catocala Members: 29 NC Records

Catocala serena Hy. Edwards, 1864 - Serene Underwing

Catocala serenaCatocala serenaCatocala serenaCatocala serena
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Catocalini		P3 Number:
930772		 MONA Number:
8779.00
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 V (also adopted by Forbes, 1954). This groups comprises 10 species, all of which feed on Hickories or Walnuts (Juglandaciae). In addition to serena, other members of this group that occur in North Carolina include habilis, robinsonii, judith, flebilis, angusi, obscura, residua, and sappho.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Sargent (1976)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al., 2011                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-large, dull gray Underwing with black and orange-banded hindwings. The head and thorax are dull brownish gray, contrasting with the darker brown collar. The ground color of the forewings is also a fairly uniform dull brownish gray, with a somewhat darker shade of reddish brown located outside the postmedian. The lines are black and narrow and less dentate than in related species of Underwings. The subreniform is fairly open and the portion of the postmedian below forms rounded loops. Basal and anal dashes are not developed. Hindwings are marked with black and orange bands. Catocala habilis is similar in having fairly pale grayish forewings and black and orange banded hindwings. The ground color in habilis is paler gray and the lines are more dentate; an anal dash is usually well developed in habilis but not serena and female habilis have a basal dash that is missing in serena.
Wingspan: 50-60 mm (Sargent, 1976)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are shiny brown and lack rootlet setae; the head has a pair of strong coronal black streaks (Wagner et al., 2011)
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: The center of this species' range is the upper Midwest; in North Carolina, it occurs primarily in the mountains but has recently been found in the central Piedmont
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Catocala serenaAlamance 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 Hanover 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.