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

Catocala agrippina Strecker, 1874 - Agrippina Underwing Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: ErebinaeTribe: CatocaliniP3 Number: 930785.00 MONA Number: 8787.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The ground color is typically gray-brown to violet-gray, and usually heavily shaded with red-brown, particularly in the antemdian and subterminal areas and in the reniform spot (Forbes, 1954; Sargent, 1976). A more evenly green-shaded form (subviridis) also occurs. A black basal dash is present and there can also be a trace of dark shading at the apex, but there is never the heavy dark arching band that connects these areas as in Catocala luctuosa (Sargent, 1976). The subreniform is open, with a band of paler color connecting it to the costa, followed by a blackish patch from the reniform to the postmedian. The hindwing is black except for the fringe, which is pure white and heavily barred with black at the veins.

The combination of heavy red-brown shading and prominently barred fringe was considered diagnostic by Sargent. In addition to luctuosa, some forms of C. lacrymosa can be similar, but are typically frosted with white scales and have a prominent white filling in the antemedian and postmedian lines where they come close together at the inner margin.
Wingspan: 75-85 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records all come from natural habitats far from any planted Pecans but consistent with the proximity of either Bitternut or Water Hickory
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Pecan, Water Hickory, and possibly other Apocarya hickories (e.g., Bitternut) (Forbes, 1954; Wagner et al., 2011) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Wet-Mesic Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S2S3
State Protection:
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Catocala agrippina - Agrippina Underwing Moth

Photos: 3

Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-07-24
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-07-24
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-07-24
Onslow Co.
Comment: