Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Catocala Members: 135 NC Records

Catocala vidua (J.E. Smith, 1797) - Widow Underwing

Catocala viduaCatocala viduaCatocala viduaCatocala vidua
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Catocalini		P3 Number:
930782		 MONA Number:
8792.00
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 (Juglandaceae). In addition to vidua, other members of this group that occur in North Carolina include Catocala retecta, dejecta, ulalume, insolabilis, myristica, maestosa, lachrymosa, palaeogama, nebulosa, subnata, and neogama.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Wingspan: 70-80 mm (Sargent, 1976)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Found primarily in the Piedmont and Low Mountains in North Carolina, though we also have a few records from the Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Catocala viduaAlamance 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on most, if not all, section Carya Hickories. Wagner et al. (2011) list Pignut Hickory (C. glabra), Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata), Sand Hickory (C. pallida), and Mockernut Hickory (C. tomentosa), and also report that larvae have been reared in captivity on walnut (Juglans) but not confirmed in the field. 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: G5 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 vidua - Widow Underwing

 86 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: R. Teper on 2025-09-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-09-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-17
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-17
Henderson Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-13
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-09-14
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Sam Woolwine on 2024-09-03
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-20
Orange Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-11-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-11-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-10
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Ivanna Knox, Marietta Shattelroe and Avery Young on 2023-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Ivanna Knox, Marietta Shattelroe and Avery Young on 2023-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-15
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-15
Macon Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2023-08-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-14
Polk Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-14
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-14
Polk Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-09
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-09
Durham Co.
Comment:
Catocala vidua
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-07-22
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Catocala vidua
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-10-15
Madison Co.
Comment: