Catocala hermia francisca
kah-TOCK-uh-lahMHER-mee-uhMFRAN-sis-kuh
Henry Edwards, 1880

Catocala hermia francisca, Hampson Plate.

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

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: Erebidae, Leach, [1815] Subfamily: Erebinae, Leach, [1815] Tribe: Catocalini, Boisduval, [1828] Genus: Catocala, Schrank, 1802

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala hermia francisca, (wingspan: 66-69mm), flies in California: Mendocino County, and probably other west coast counties.

The moth formerly described as C. francisca has recently (2010) been designated as a subspecies of C. hermia.

Catocala hermia francisca, Aromas, San Benito County, California,
69mm, July 27, 2012, courtesy of Gary McDonald, id by Bill Oehlke.

Catocala hermia francisca, Aromas, San Benito County, California,
69mm, July 27, 2012, courtesy of Gary McDonald, id by Bill Oehlke.

Catocala hermia francisca, Aromas, San Benito County, California,
66mm, August 9, 2012, courtesy of Gary McDonald, id by Bill Oehlke.

Catocala hermia francisca, Aromas, San Benito County, California,
66mm, August 9, 2012, courtesy of Gary McDonald, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala hermia francisca are on the wing from June to September.

Catocala hermia francisca California, All Leps Barcode of Life.

The Catocala hermia francisca caterpillar probably feeds on poplars and willows.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala hermia francisca 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.

This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS>.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

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Catocala hermia francisca California, All Leps Barcode of Life.