Moths of North Carolina
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Catocala Members:
132 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 (Juglandaciae). In addition to vidua, other members of this group that occur in North Carolina include 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, BOLD                                                                                 
Wingspan: 70-80 mm (Sargent, 1976)
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.
Catocala vidua
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:
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

82 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-13
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-09-14
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-07
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Sam Woolwine on 2024-09-03
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-03
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-20
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-11-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-11-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-10
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-24
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Ivanna Knox, Marietta Shattelroe and Avery Young on 2023-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Ivanna Knox, Marietta Shattelroe and Avery Young on 2023-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-15
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Becky Elkin on 2023-09-15
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2023-08-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-14
Polk Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-14
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-14
Polk Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-09
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-09
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-07-22
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-10-15
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: R. Browder on 2022-10-03
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-09-28
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-09-17
Madison Co.
Comment: