Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Catocala Members: 56 NC Records

Catocala dejecta Strecker, 1880 - Dejected Underwing

Catocala dejectaCatocala dejectaCatocala dejectaCatocala dejecta
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Catocalini		P3 Number:
930780		 MONA Number:
8790.00
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 VI (also adopted by Forbes, 1954). This groups comprises 15 species, all of which feed on Hickories or Walnuts (Juglandaciae). In addition to dejecta, other members of this group that occur in North Carolina include retecta, ulalume, insolabilis, myrisitica, vidua, maestosa, lachrymosa, palaeogama, nebulosa, subnata, and neogama.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a pale bluish-gray species with a fairly conspicuous pale band extending obliquely from the costa to the pale subreniform spot; the reniform is typically darkened. A basal dash is present in females but may be weak or absent in males. Hindwings are black, with a narrow fringe of white that becomes obscure at the anal angle.
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].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Catocala dejectaAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: North Carolina habitats range from dry ridges to mesic hardwoods.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on hickories (Carya spp.) (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Catocala dejecta - Dejected Underwing

 38 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-20
Madison Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-07-13
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-15
Macon Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-15
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-09-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-08-24
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-08-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-13
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-08
Wilkes Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-06
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-08-04
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-17
Orange Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-06
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-07-23
Durham Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2019-07-19
Orange Co.
Comment:
Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2019-07-19
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Catocala dejecta
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2019-07-19
Orange Co.
Comment: Two seen on the same tree