Catocala insolabilis
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmmin-SOHL-ab-il-is
Guenee, 1852

Catocala insolabilis, Louisiana, 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:

The Inconsolable Underwing, Catocala insolabilis (wingspan: 65-75mm), flies from Ontario through Maine and Connecticut south to Florida, west through Arkansas to Texas and Oklahoma and north to South Dakota.

This species has also been reported in Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The forewing is light grey with blackish shading along the inner margin. The antemedial and postmedial lines are thin.

The hindwing fringe is very narrow and grey, becoming whiter toward the apex.

The ventral surface clearly distinguishes insolabis, being almost completely black except for some white in the basal area.

Catocala insolabilis, Windsor, Ontario, coourtesy of Maurice Bottos.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala insolabilis flies as a single generation with moths on the wing from June to August. The Catocala insolabilis caterpillar feeds on hickories.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed under leaf litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala insolabilis 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. Mature larvae Image courtesy of

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.........

Hickory

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