Catocala flebilis
kah-TOCK-uh-lahMFLEH-beh-lis
Grote, 1872

Catocala flebilis courtesy of J.K. Adams.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke. Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

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

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala flebilis, The Mournful Underwing, (wingspan: 54-65mm), flies from Massachusetts and Connecticut south to North Carolina and Georgia, west to Arkansas and north to Michigan and Illinois and into southern Ontario.

It has also been reported in Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Catocala flebilis, Bloomington, Brown County, Indiana,
July 16, 2018, courtesy of Mark Sheehan, id by Larry Gall.

There is a diffuse black band running from the basal area to the outer margin just below the apex, interrupted by a pale grey subreniform spot. The reniform spot is filled with brown and there is additional brown outside the postmedial line. There is no anal dash as there is in angusi. The subrenifrom mark almost completely interrupts the diffuse black bar.

The hindwings have white fringe.

Catocala flebilis, Pickens County, northern Georgia,
65mm, September 17, 2009, courtesy of Aubrey Scott.

Catocala flebilis, Pickens County, northern Georgia,
65mm, September 17, 2009, courtesy of Aubrey Scott.

Catocala flebilis, Pickens County, northern Georgia,
65mm, September 17, 2009, courtesy of Aubrey Scott.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala flebilis are on the wing from July to September.

The Catocala flebilis caterpillar feeds on hickories.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala flebilis 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.

Carya glabra...... Carya ovata

Pignut hickory Shagbark hickory

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