Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Catocala Members:	141 NC Records

Catocala micronympha Guenée, 1852 - Little Nymph Underwing

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Erebinae

Tribe:
Catocalini

P3 Number:
930857

MONA Number:
8876.00

Other Common Name:
The Little Nymph

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Sargent (1976)

Adult Markings: The ground color of the forewings is extremely variable and there are a large number of named forms (see Forbes, 1954; Sargent, 1976). The presence of a curvifacia mark is fairly constant, with a black shade extending from the midpoint of the costa to the dark reniform, and from the reniform slanting obliquely to the outer margin just below the apex. The portion that interrupts the crenulate, waved, white subterminal line is almost always evident, as is a pale apical patch set off by the white subterminal and the black curvifascial line. The remainder of the wing can be nearly unicolorous dark or pale, or can have a contrast between the median area and the base, which is defined by a crenulate, white antemedian line. Hindwings are orange, crossed by a dark median band that terminates in a hook, followed by a more diffuse dark shade that extends up the fold. A dark band also follows the outer margin that ends at the cubital vein, with an isolated black spot at the anal angle. Catocala minuta is similar but smaller. It lacks the curvifascia line but has a pale apical patch partly defined by a crenulate white subterminal line, but that line is continuous across the wing rather than interrupted by the black curvifascia. Catocala amica is another species that usually has a curvifascia band but the forewing pattern is more consistently pale and the hindwing pattern is completely different.

Wingspan: 45 mm (Forbes, 1954)

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Found across the state, from the high mountains to the barrier islands

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
Immature 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 oaks, especially in the White Oak group (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, J.B. Sullivan reared a larva from Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis), and also recorded larvae on Darlington Oak (Q. hemisphaerica), Bluejack Oak (Q. incana), and Live Oak (Q. virginiana). - 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 micronympha - Little Nymph Underwing

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

	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-07-03 Macon Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-05-31 Currituck Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-29 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-23 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-16 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-08-05 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-07-13 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-24 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-06-23 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-25 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-05-24 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-22 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-20 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31 Swain Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2023-07-29 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-07-27 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-11 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and John Petranka on 2023-06-14 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22 New Hanover Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-05-15 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-05-15 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2023-05-14 Carteret Co. Comment: An unusual color morph from Fort Macon.		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-08-10 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-21 Caswell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2022-04-21 Carteret Co. Comment: Larva on Sand Laurel Oak
	Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-06-25 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-17 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-17 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-06-10 Carteret Co. Comment: