Catocala herodias
kah-TOCK-uh-lahmmhee-ROH-dee-us
Strecker, 1876

Catocala herodias gerhardi, Virginia, courtesy of Bob Muller.

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 herodias, the Herodias Underwing, (wingspan: 55-65mm) flies from Massachussetts, Connecticut, New York to Virginia as Gerhard's Underwing, herodias gerhardi Barnes and Benjamin, and in Texas and Oklahoma as herodias herodias.

The forewing is grey and brown, generally lacking any trace of medial lines. Instead forewing veins are somewhat darkened in the median areas with white streaks from the post medial line to the outer fringe, running parallel to the inner margin. Catocala herodias gerhardi has a distinctive very light, almost white, border along the forewing costa. Catocala herodias gerhardi courtesy of James Reilly, Virginia.

The light border is missing in herodias herodias. The hindwings are reddish-orange with black bands and white fringe.

Both moths seem restricted to oak-pine barrens

Catocala herodias gerhardi, New Jersey, Harold J.Vermes, courtesy of Craig Vermes.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala herodias are usually on the wing from July to August. The Catocala herodias caterpillar shows a preference for oaks, particularly scrub oak.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala herodias 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 ilicifolia...... Quercus rubra

Scrub oak Northern red oak

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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