Moths of North Carolina
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Catocala Members:
26 NC Records

Catocala residua Grote, 1874 - Residua Underwing



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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ErebinaeTribe: CatocaliniP3 Number: 930774.00 MONA Number: 8785.00
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 residua, other members of this group that occur in North Carolina include habilis, serena, robinsonii, judith, flebilis, angusi, obscura, and sappho.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Sargent (1976)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1954); Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A large, dull gray Underwing with black hindwings. The median and basal areas of the forewings are usually darker than subterminal and marginal areas, with the ground color a dark smoky gray, sometimes with a greenish or purplish sheen (Forbes, 1954). The subterminal line is contrastingly whitish and the marginal area is pale gray. Dark streaks are located subterminally, extending from the longer teeth of the postmedian line to the outer margin; similar dark streaks may also be located in the lower portion of the marginal area. The hindwings are black and usually have a fuscous fringe but which is occasionally mainly white. Catocala obscura is similar in size, color, and markings but is usually more uniformly shaded on the forewings and usually lacks the dark markings in the outer portion of the wing; obscura typically has a white fringe on the hindwings whereas the fringe is usually more fuscous in residua.
Wingspan: 60-70 mm (Sargent, 1976)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: Larvae are dark gray peppered with black and possessing small white tubercles; rootlet setae are absent. Very similar to the larvae of Catocala obscura but the dark streaks on the head are longer in residua, extending beyond the eyes (see Wagner et al., for illustrations and a more detailed description).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably found over most of the Piedmont and Mountains. In the Coastal Plain, it may be restricted to the floodplains of the brownwater rivers and their adjoining slopes
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, flying from late June to early October
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records all come from stands of hardwoods associated with rich soils, including the floodplains and slopes of brownwater rivers, mesic and dry basic hardwood forests in the Piedmont, and rich cove forests and alluvial forests in the Mountains
Larval Host Plants: Stenophagous, feeding primarily on Shagbark Hickories (Wagner et al., 2011). Our records indicate that it feeds on both Northern and Southern Shagbarks. - View
Observation Methods: Comes fairly well to both lights and bait
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Dry Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be a strong habitat specialist but occurs fairly regularly over a large portion of the state. It consequently appears to be one of the more secure Shagbark specialists in the state.

 Photo Gallery for Catocala residua - Residua Underwing

Photos: 10

Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-09-11
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-09-10
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-08-27
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2014-09-22
Ashe Co.
Comment: Wingspan = 7.3 cm; forwewing length = 3.6 cm.
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-07-16
Cabarrus Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2012-07-20
Halifax Co.
Comment: Resting on Shagbark Hickory
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2009-09-19
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2009-08-28
Warren Co.
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