Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Catocala Members: 30 NC Records

Catocala amatrix (Hübner, [1813]) - Sweetheart Underwing

Catocala amatrixCatocala amatrix
view caption 		Catocala amatrix
view caption 		Catocala amatrix
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Catocalini		P3 Number:
930815		 MONA Number:
8834.00		 Other Common Name:
The Sweetheart
Comments: One of 103 species in this genus that occur in North America (Gall and Hawks, 2010; Kons and Borth, 2015a,b), 67 of which have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A large underwing moth. Fore-wings have a flat yellowish or grayish-brown ground color but with a pale gray sheen that is more or less evident depending on the lighting and angle of view. The typical form (nurus, according to Holland, , and Forbes, 1954) has a heavy dark basal dash that usually is joined with a median and apical dash that crosses the wing diagonally; in form selecta, the dashes are reduced or absent (Sargent, 1976). The antemedian and postmedian lines are dark and contrasting in the upper half of the wing but paler towards the inner margin; the upper portion of the antemedian is fairly wavy and runs obliquely in from the costa (less smooth and curved than in cara and carissima) and often has an inward-pointing tooth at or near the radius (an outward tooth is usually prominent in cara and carissima). A large sub-reniform spot is present and usually joined to the antemedian by a dark patch or lines (Sargent, 1976). The hindwings are strongly marked with red and black bands, similarly to cara and carissima, but lack the black basal area present in those species.
Wingspan: 75-85 mm (Sargent, 1976); 89 mm in one of our specimens
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 amatrixAlamance 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: Our records come mainly from wetland habitats, including several where either Eastern Cottonwoods or Swamp Cottonwoods are known to occur. However, it has also been recorded at some sites where only willows are known. It has also been recorded on some high ridges in the Mountains where neither willows nor cottonwoods seem likely to be present; Bigtooth Aspen has been recorded at least at one of those sites, however.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae reportedly feed on poplars (Populus spp.), including cultivated species, and possibly willows (Salix spp.) (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Poplar 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 amatrix - Sweetheart Underwing

Photos: 9
Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Albert Stella on 2024-07-11
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-08-04
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Catocala amatrixRecorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2014-09-17
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-08-12
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2012-08-02
Bertie Co.
Comment: Form selecta. Found inside a deer stand. Flew back inside several times after being chased out to get a better photograph. According to Sargent, this species frequently seeks shelter in buildings and other protected places.		Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Steve Hall on 2012-08-02
Bertie Co.
Comment: Form selecta. Shows the pale gray sheen that is visible from some angles.
Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2012-07-29
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Catocala amatrixRecorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2012-07-27
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Catocala amatrixRecorded by: SPH on 2012-07-19
Northampton Co.
Comment: Form selecta; wingspan = 8.9 cm; forewing length = 4.3 cm