Catocala coccinata
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmmkoss-sin-NAY-ta
Grote, 1872

Catocala coccinata male courtesy of Vernon A. Brou.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: Noctuidae Group: Noctuinina Subfamily: Catocalinae Genus: Catocala, Schrank, 1802

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DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala coccinata, the Scarlet Underwing (wingspan: 57-70mm) flies in Canada in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec (rare) New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (rare) south through Connecticut and New Jersey to Georgia and to Florida (form sinuosa-fine inner black band on hindwing), west to to Texas and Oklahoma and north to to Colorado unconfirmed, to Nebraska, to South Dakota and to North Dakota. It has also been reported in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The bright red/scarlet underwings distinguish this species. There are usually diffuse basal and anal dashes on an otherwise light grey, mottled forewing. The hindwing fringe is white, checked, and sometimes has red highlights at apex.

Catocala coccinata, Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
July 3, 2006, courtesy of Joe Garris.

Catocala coccinata, Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
July 3, 2006, courtesy of Joe Garris.

The undersides pale in comparison to the striking dorsal surfaces, as evidenced in the image by Tim Dyson, above right, from Peterborough, Ontario, July 26, 2006. It is the flashy hindwings that really stand out. The forewings offer excellent camouflage against tree bar, a common resting place. Catocala coccinata on Bur Oak bark and above ventral image, Peterborough, Ontario, courtesy of Tim Dyson. Females deposit eggs in the crevices between the rough bark sections.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala coccinata are usually on the wing from June to September.

Moths come to lights and also to bait.

The Catocala coccinata caterpillar feeds on oaks.

Catocala coccinata, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts,
July 28, 2011, courtesy of Dave Small.

Catocala coccinata, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts,
July 28, 2011, courtesy of Dave Small.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

Catocala coccinata females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their antennae to track the scent plume.

EGGS, CATERPILLARS, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited on tree bark in the fall and hatch the following spring.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive, although some species seem very host specific. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Quercus bicolor Quercus coccinea Quercus ilicifolia Quercus macrocarpa....... Quercus rubra Quercus stellata

Swamp White oak Scarlet oak Bear/Scrub oak Bur oak Northern Red oak Post oak

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