Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members: Catocala Members: 13 NC Records

Catocala jair Strecker, 1897 - Jair Underwing

Catocala jair
view caption 		Catocala jairCatocala jair
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Erebidae		Subfamily:
Erebinae		Tribe:
Catocalini		P3 Number:
930861		 MONA Number:
8879.00		 Other Common Name:
Barrens Underwing
Comments: One of 103 species in this genus that occurs in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 67 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Jair belongs to the amica group, which is characterized by having yellow-orange hindwings that lack the dark postmedian band and have a partial black band and a separate spot on the outer margin. In addition to jair, other members of this group include amica, lineella, and at least one undescribed species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Barnes and McDunnough (1918); Sargent (1976); Schweitzer et al. (2011)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2011)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Catocala jair is very similar to C. amica, with no differences in the hindwing pattern or on the undersides. The most noteworthy differences are that the postmedian is straighter and less dentate in jair than in amica (or lineella) and there is a more extensive area of brown between the postmedian and subterminal lines (Barnes and McDunnough, 1918; Sargent, 1976). The brownish coloration in the subterminal area, however, appears to apply primarily to the population in the Florida Peninsula (including the type specimens). Over most of the range of this species, including North Carolina, a more blackish form dominates that has a slightly more dentate postmedian and a lesser amount of brown in the subterminal space (Schweitzer et al., 2011). Our populations of jair are more blackish than the mostly blue-gray lineella and less mottled. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 35-40 mm (Sargent, 1976)
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are pale grayish brown, although very similar to others in the amica group and need to be reared to adulthood to confirm their identities.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Appears to be confined to the southern half of the Coastal Plain in North Carolina, including the Fall-line Sandhills
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Catocala jairAlamance 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.
Immature 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: immatures.
Flight Comments: Univoltine, flying from May to June
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: All of our records come from dry-to-xeric sandhill habitats that possess populations of Turkey Oak or other xerophytic species of oaks. We have no records from other areas where Blackjack or Post Oaks are common, nor from the few areas in North Carolina where Bear Oak is present.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on xerophytic oaks. Bear Oak (Quercus ilicifolia) and Blackjack Oak (Q. marilandica) are used in New Jersey (Schweitzer et al., 2011), but our population appears to be associated primarily with Turkey Oak (Q. laevis). J.B. Sullivan has found larvae on that species and has successfully reared them on it. Use of other oaks in our state is possible but needs confirmation. - View
Observation Methods: Comes to both blacklights and bait, but the level of its attraction to either needs to be determined. It is unlikely to visit flowers.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Fire-maintained Sandhills
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: SR
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G3G4 S2
State Protection: Listed as Significantly Rare by the Natural Heritage Program. That designation, however, does not confer any legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be a strong habitat specialist, associated with some of the most xeric woodlands that occur in the state. Although the sandhills habitats have suffered drastic losses and fragmentation over the past several centuries, stands of Turkey Oak are increasing at least in some areas due to the effects of fire suppression. In other areas, however -- including many areas that are managed for biodiversity conservation -- Turkey Oaks are targeted for reduction or elimination in order to restore Longleaf Pines, Wiregrass, and other lost members of these communities. If done too vigorously, however, there are likely to be impacts to Catocala jair, as well as other rare moths associated with the xerophytic oaks, e.g., Acronicta albarufa, Heterocampa jair, and Hypomecis buchholzaria. Such impacts need to be given more consideration in management decisions: restoration of Longleaf communities should aim for achieving the most natural composition possible, which will include a certain component of xerophytic oaks and their associated species.

 Photo Gallery for Catocala jair - Jair Underwing

Photos: 3
Catocala jairRecorded by: David George on 2025-06-29
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Catocala jairRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Catocala jairRecorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: