Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Catocala Members:	29 NC Records

Catocala subnata Grote, 1864 - Youthful Underwing

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Erebinae

Tribe:
Catocalini

P3 Number:
930788

MONA Number:
8797.00

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 Catocala subnata, other members of this group that occur in North Carolina include retecta, dejecta, ulalume, insolabilis, myristica, vidua, maestosa, lachrymosa, palaeogama, nebulosa, and neogama.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)

Adult Markings: The ground color is pale gray, sometimes with a bluish tint but without any greenish shading (Forbes, 1954). Females have a slight basal dash that is missing in the males. Catocala neogama is similar in pattern but has a greenish tint on the forewings, is more shaded with brown, and has deeper yellow bands on the hindwings.

Wingspan: 75-90 mm (Sargent, 1976)

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.

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: Most of our records come from cove forests in the Mountains. Habitats used in the Piedmont are unclear.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) and possibly other hickories (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]

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 subnata - Youthful Underwing

Photos: 12

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams on 2024-07-14 Gates Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-09-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-09-01 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-07-30 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-14 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-14 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-05 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-05 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2014-07-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2010-08-05 Warren Co. Comment:		Recorded by: D.L. Wray on 1965-08-27 Watauga Co. Comment: Specimen in the NCSU Insect Museum. Wingspan = 8.1 cm; forewing length = 4.0 cm. Hind tibiae cylindrical and well-spined.