Catocala of Massachusetts

Little Yellow-Orange Underwings: Wingspans: 35-50mm

** 8874 Catocala minuta TM; Little Underwing, 35-45mm; Fw grey-brown, greatly widened, white, st line (near costa only). Hw outer black band unbroken, inner band in complete loop, brown scaling along im. "eureka" Schwarz: blackish area between am,pm lines; "hiseri" Cassino: dull grey fw, very faint markings; "mellitula" Hulst: blackish patch in basal area from costa to im; "obliterata" Schwarz: melanic form, almost completely black fw; "parvula" W. H. Edwards: broad dark patch along fw i. m..

** 8873 similis; Similar Underwing, wingspan: 35-45mm. Pale triangular patch from pm line along costa, pointed at apex, light-coloured, tear-shaped reniform spot. Subreniform spot projects much beyond reniform anteriorally at right angle to subreniform line. Many specimens have small, light coloured, flattened oval spot about halfway between pm/ am lines near midpoint of reniform spot. Pm line almost straight for most of length.

** 8846 sordida; Sordid Underwing, wingspan: 37-45mm. Fw lighter along costa and darker along inner margin. Dark medial lines are especially evident through lighter shades near costa. Outer black band of the hindwing is broken near anal angle. I made the determination on the moth to the right based on dark scaling along inner margin limited to median area and submarginal "teeth" relatively short and blunt.

** 8876 Catocala micronympha, the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). John Himmelman image. Usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown, black and white tints. Usually a darkened band passing from costa through reniform spot to outer margin. High variability. Full size Joe Garris photo of C. micronympha form hero.

** 8876 Catocala micronympha form gisela, the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). The usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown, black and white tints. There is usually a darkened band passing from the costa through the reniform spot to the outer margin. Form "gisela" Meyer has a forewing that is mostly black. Leroy Simon image.

** 8876 Catocala micronympha form hero, the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). The usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown, black and white tints. There is usually a darkened band passing from the costa through the reniform spot to the outer margin. Form "hero" H. Edwards has a median area that is mostly white. Joe Garris image.

** 8876 Catocala micronympha form lolita, the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). Form "lolita" Sargent has very dark forewings. Harold J. Vermes image, used with permission from his son.

** 8876 Catocala micronympha form sargenti, the Little Nymph Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). Usual specimens have grey forewings shaded with green, brown, black and white tints. Usually a darkened band passing from costa through reniform spot to outer margin. Form "sargenti" Covell (very rare) has hw all black.

** 8877 connubialis, Connubial Underwing, (wingspan: 35-50mm). Fw highly variable with several different forms: "sancta" typical form: fws with white ground colour and sharply contrasting black lines and markings. There is also brown shading between post medial and subterminal lines; "cordelia": coloured as above but markings are faint; "pulverulenta": grey-green forewings with faint markings, sometimes none; "broweri": melanic form with fws dark green, almost black. Hw with separate anal spot; outer band ends with straight cut. Leroy Simon image.

** 8848 louiseae, Louise's Underwing, (wingspan: 40mm). There is a distinct white "smile" (in spread specimens) between the reniform and subreniform spots. There is also a narrow but distinct white line immediately following the black postmedial line. Hw deep yellow orange, outer black band interrupted, followed by dot, ending before im.

** 8847 gracilis, Graceful Underwing, (wingspan: 40-45mm). Gracilis closely resembles sordida but hw loop is not complete in gracilis as it is in sordida. Gracilis also tends to have a darker inner margin and there is frequently (99% of the time, Dale Schweitzer, via Joe Garris), but not always, a basal dash. Sordida never has basal dash.

** 8858 Catocala blandula; Charming Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm: Often difficult to distinguish blandula from crataegi and mira, but mira lacks dark basal shading common to blandula and crataegi. Blandula tends to differ from crataegi in that former has 1) am and pm lines that meet at inner margin, 2) brown as opposed to black basal area, 3) absence of any green shading/tint in median area, 4) unbroken outer black band in hindwing. Lynn Scott image.

** 8865 praeclara; Praeclara Underwing, wingspan: 40-50mm. Fw pale greenish-grey with considerable contrasting brown shading beyond post medial line. There is a black basal dash very close to the inner margin and another dash, higher up in the median area. Note the contrasting shapes of the reniform and subreniform spots. Upper of two larger pml teeth is longer, wider than lower tooth. Note double, white filled amls. Lighter, subcircular patch, outlined in black, brown on lower thorax.

** 8774 muliercula; Little Wife Underwing, wingspan ?? The black bands of the hindwings tend to be very wide and there is considerable dark scaling along the inner margins. Hw fringe is very dark as is the general reddish-brown ground colour of the forewings. The forewing apex is preceded along the costa by a lighter, grey-brown patch. Steve Walter image. maybe in southern counties

** 8776 badia coelebs; Old Maid Underwing, wingspan 54-56mm. Gray region from fw pm line to the outer margin readily distinguishes this species. The fringe is gray on the lower wing from the brief orange dash at the hindwing apex to the anal angle. Tim Dyson image. maybe

** 8777 badia; Bay Underwing, wingspan ??. This species has a limited range. The Catocala badia caterpillar shows a preference for Comptonia peregrina (sweetfern) and Myrica cerifera (Southern bayberry/Southern wax myrtle) and Myrica pensylvanica (Northern bayberry). possible in southeastern Massachusetts, but unlikely. Steve Walter image (New York)

Midsized Orange-Salmon-Red-Scarlet Underwings: Wingspans: 50-72mm

** 8779 serena Serene Underwing The head and collar and abdomen are brown while the thorax is grey. The am and pm lines are thin but very dark and distinct on an otherwise drab, almost uniformly olive-grey forewing. The black marginal band of the lower wings is indented at the center, and the relatively narrow, deep yellow median band parallels this indentation. Basal hairs are brown. Carroll Rudy image.

** 8850a herodias gerhardi Gerhard's Underwing; wingspan: 55-65mm; Fw grey and brown, no medial lines. Fw veins somewhat darkened in median areas with white streaks from pm area to outer fringe, running parallel to i. m. Susbspecies has distinctive very light, almost white, border along fw costa.

#8778 Catocala habilis; wingspan: 55-65mm Large "M" on thorax, "pork chop" shaped, light subreniform spot, constricted at juncture with pml. Pml narrow, dark, distinct, outwardly lined with narrow suffusion of white scales, followed by broader band of brown, then broader suffusion of white up to very regular dentation of sbtml line. Fw veins in pm area have grey, feathery appearance, against lighter background. Significant "bleeding" of yellow-orange-salmon scales into hw fringes. Large reniform spot: brown center, faintly edged in black, then white, then black again.

#8817 briseis; Briseis Underwing; wingspan: 60-70mm. Fws predominantly mottled dark-grey-brown with some lighter areas 1) between pm and subterminal lines, 2) at base of am and pm lines along i. m., and 3) over subreniform spot running diagonally toward costa. Pm lines lack greatly elongated, sharly pointed "teeth" near apex. Hw fringe white, unbroken; inner black band (fairly even) reaches i. m.. Tim Dyson image. probably rare

#8795 Catocala palaeogama ; wingspan: 60-70mm. Subreniform spot closed, does not approach pm line, is smaller than in C. habilis. All forms have characteristic orange, heavily barred fringe to apex, and irregular bands on hws. Hw basal median area heavily suffused with dark brown to black scales. Dark bar in outer half of median area, paralleling i. m. halfway between i. m. and light, closed subreniform spot. Joe Garris photo.

#8795 Catocala palaeogama form phalanga; wingspan: 60-70mm. In this form, fw basal area and subterminal area are very dark against a much lighter background. Dark bar in the outer half of the median area, paralleling the inner margin halfway between the inner margin and the light, closed subreniform spot is especially evident. Joe Garris image.

miranda, Miranda Underwing; 37-45mm; Fw: plain pale grey with very light and fine black lines, darker and wider near costa. Hw black with white fringe at the apex, turning to grey along the outer margin. Miranda is smaller than look-alike orba and miranda also has a dark bar just above the inner margin in the median area, projecting toward the anal angle. Very questionable ??

Catocala orba, Orba Underwing, (wingspan: 40-45mm). Fw uniform grey with light lines and poorly defined spots. Hw underside completely black. Hw fringe unbroken, slightly off white, somewhat grey. on record, possibly as a non-resident stray

Catocala andromedae, Gloomy Underwing, (wingspan: 40-50mm). Black underwings and dark grey fringe of hws, coupled with dark i.m. of fws help to identify this species. There is also a very dark "flying saucer" shape, adjoining subreniform spot to midpoint of am line. The "teeth" of pm line short and blunt, outwardly edged with white. Subterminal line is also outwardly edged with white.

** 8781 judith, Judith's Underwing, 45-55mm; one of smaller "black" underwings. Fw uniform light grey with thin, only slightly darkened antemedial, median & pm lines. No darkened dashes (slight anal dash) or transverse lines. Reniform area slightly darkened while the area just before the subterminal line is a bit lighter. Note absence of hw white fringe. Joe Garris photo.

** 8773 Catocala epione , yes; Epione Underwing, wingspan: 55-65mm The pm line is squared and has a brown band and then a light band just outside the line. The hindwing is black with pure white fringe with no barring. John Himmelman image.

** 8782 Catocala flebilis ; Mournful, wingspan: 54-65mm. Diffuse black band runs from basal area to outer margin just below apex, interrupted by pale grey subreniform spot. Reniform spot filled with brown, additional brown outside postmedial line. No anal dash as in angusi. Hws have white fringe.

** 8783 Catocala angusi WO; Angus' Underwing, 60-74mm; Dark dashes/streaks in basal & anal areas distinguish angusi. Reniform spot: light brown filling. Hw fringe black except for white at apex. Form lucetta has broad black band from basal area to o.m., broken by reniform & subreniform spots. unconfirmed

** 8783 Catocala angusi WO; Angus' Underwing, 60-74mm; Dark dashes/streaks in basal & anal areas distinguish angusi. Reniform spot: light brown filling. Hw fringe black except for white at apex. Form lucetta: broad black band from basal area to o.m., broken by reniform & subreniform spots.

Catocala dejecta; Dejected; 56-73mm. Pale grey patch from reniform and subreniform juncture to costal margin is diagnostic. Note open, light "pork chop" shape of subreniform spot. Two "teeth" in pml above subreniform spot relatively short, blunt. Upper portion of aml thick, black; lower half: light rounded lobes outlined in black. Hw fringe white with black wing veins extending like "teeth".

Catocala retecta; wingspan: 60-75mm. Note light coloured, elongated and open subreniform spot which interrupts dark, diffuse ark running through center of wing from basal area (body-wing juncture) to fw apex. Center of reniform spot brown and there is a brown area just below costa running to inner margin just outside pm line. Off-white hindwing fringe only lightly checked along wing veins. Joe Garris image.

Catocala luctuosa, Underwing, (wingspan: 70mm). Fw light grey (yellowish tint) clearly marked with a basal dash that continues with another dash through the am line, followed by another anal dash almost forming bar parallel to im. Hw fringe white, lightly barred at veins. Fw pml "teeth" elongated and dark, continuing dark dar emanating from om just below apex.

** 8784 obscura; the Obscure Underwing, (wingspan: 60-72mm), has dull, grey forewings, usually void of any significant dashes, streaks, providing for easy identification. Am, median and pm lines faint and subterminal line region is only slightly paler than rest of fw. Hw fringe is off-white, lightly checked on veins. Joe Garris photo.

Catocala residua, Residua Underwing, yes, (wingspan: 58-73mm), Distinguished from C. obscura by grey hindwing fringe of residua. C. obscura has white to off-white fringe, tends to be less common in northern portions of its range. Fw subterminal line/area of C. residua tends to be pale as is its open, elongated subreniform spot. Devoid of significant markings except for hint of dark bar running from basal area through reniform spot to om just below apex.

** 8794 Catocala lacrymosa; Tearful Underwing, 60-82mm; probably; The forewing is highly variable with a mixture of black, brown (wing tips and outside postmedial line) and dark grey scaling. There are usually whitish crescents, along the inner margin at the base of the antemedial and postmedial lines. The hindwings are black with white checkered fringe, turning black near the anal angle. There are several different forms.

** 8794 Catocala lacrymosa; Tearful Underwing, 60-82mm. Form paulina: lighter grey post median area & area along and parallel to inner margin, in sharp contrast to darker basal median areas. Ken Childs live image of form paulina from Tennessee on lacrymosa file.

** 8794 Catocala lacrymosa; Tearful Underwing, 60-82mm. In form evelina there is a wide black band along the forewing inner margin.

** 8794 Catocala lacrymosa; Tearful Underwing, 60-82mm. In form albomarginata there is an abundance of white scaling on the forewing. Form "zelica", not shown, has black basal patch and st line.

** 8791 Catocala insolabilis; Inconsolable, wingspan: 65-75mm. Fw light grey with blackish shading along inner margin. Antemedial and postmedial lines thin. Hw fringe very narrow and grey, becoming whiter toward apex. Ventral surface clearly distinguishes insolabis, being almost completely black except for some white in basal area. Vernon A. Brou image.

** 8780 Catocala robinsoni; wingspan: 70-80mm; Relatively plain pale grey forwewings. Female has basal dash, absent in male. Currata French, 1882, is female form, having weak basal dash. Rare form missouriensis Schwarz, 1915, has dark, broad bar extending from basal area to om just below apex. Lighter grey rnfm and subrnfm spots break bar in missouriensis, found from PA. to FL. All forms have white hw fringe; bands on ventral surface are prominent.

** 8792 Catocala vidua; Widow; 70-80mm. Fw ground colour light grey. Distinguishing dark arc runs through top of reniform spot to just below apex. Heavy, dark anal and basal dashes, connecting to dark median bar, running parallel to i. m. Am line thick, black in its upper half. Reniform spot with two almost concentric irregular ovals. Subreniform spot light, open, constricted as it meets pm line. Hw black with broad, white fringe, lightly interrupted. Marie Winn image.

Large Black Underwings (Banded): Wingspans: 70-80mm

Large Orange-Salmon Underwings: Wingspans: 65mm, usually 70-95mm

** 8822 meskei; Meske's Underwing; wingspan: 65-75mm; Fw less distinctly marked compared to unijuga and there is some red-orange at hindwing apex and just inside fringe along outer margin in meskei that is lacking in unijuga. Fw subreniform spot is opened or connected to the postmedian line. Hw postmedian band is nearly straight, turned in and tapering near the anal angle. Tim Dyson image.

** 8801 Catocala ilia; Ilia; wingspan: 65-82mm. Several different forms, most have characteristic white area in and around reniform spot. Diffuse dark arc running from this spot to just below apex. Subreniform spot squarish, concave inner and outer edges and elongated constriction connecting it to pml. White dots near fw om in character with the overall "contrasting" appearance.

** 8801 Catocala ilia; Ilia; form conspicua In this form the entire reniform spot is heavily suffused with white scaling on an otherwise darker ground colour. Hence the form name "conspicua". Tim Dyson image.

** 8801 Catocala ilia; Ilia; form satanas In this melanic form the entire forewing, including the reniform spot is very dark. Hence the form name "satanas". The dark basal streak is still evident on this form. Tim Dyson image.

** 8801 Catocala ilia; Ilia; form normani In this semi-melanic form the entire forewing, excluding the reniform spot, is relatively dark. The brownish, kidney-shaped center of the reniform spot is outlined in white. The basal streak and subapical arc are still visible. Tim Dyson image.

** 8772 Catocala consors; Consort, wingspan: 70mm plus. Fw has irregular am and pm narrow black lines. Dark patch outside reniform and subreniform spots. Orange-yellow hw pm band tends to be narrow and irregularly zigzagged. Sometimes the band is wider and slightly less irregular. James K. Adams image. maybe ??

** 8857.1 Catocala umbrosa; mm; Double brown am line, inward line fainter, filled with off white; reniform spot brown center outlined in black , off white and black again; subreniform, large, pale brown, closed. Pm line wit htwo elongated upper teeth, next tooth reduced, next two progressively longer, rounded, final lobe rounded and shorter. HW with dark scaling/hairs in basal median area along im

** 8771 Catocala piatrix ; Penitent, wingspan: 68-84mm. Fw: light-colored band/bar extending from light coloured, triangular subreniform spot along am line to costa. Brown, kidney-shaped reniform spot surrounded in pale grey, outlined in black, usually with distinct black along wing veins in a dark area outside the reniform spot. Hw: fringe lightly barred; lighter in color than deeper orange on rest of wing.

** 8806 Catocala parta; Mother Underwing, wingspan: 70-85mm. The black dashes in the basal, subapical and anal areas help to identify this species. The hindwings may be yellow to yellowish-orange but more often are salmon-red. Note the face-head-like markings on the thorax. In the hindwing, the first (nearest the apex) black protrusion into the white fringe is "noticeably" larger than the others.

** 8798 Catocala neogama; wingspan 70-85mm. Brown head, thorax, larger size as compared to C. palaeogama. Neogama tend to be slightly smaller than subnata, have darker grey brown fws with more pronounced markings. Examination of hind tibia needed for id. Neogama's: flattened, unevenly, sparsely spined; subnata's: cylindrical, spines dense, uniform in distribution. Joe Garris photo.