Catocala illecta
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm il-LECK-tuh
Walker, [1858]

Catocala illecta courtesy of James K. Adams.

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 illecta, the Magdalen Underwing, (wingspan: 60-70mm) flies from Southwestern Ontario south to South Carolina and west and south to Texas and north through Oklahoma and Kansas to Nebraska, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

The forewing pattern and colouration is much like that of concumbens, pale grey with faint black lines. Hindwings are light yellow and the irregular inner black band terminates well before the inner margin. The common name comes from a synonym for illecta, Catocala magdalena. Catocala illecta Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala illecta are usually on the wing from May to July.

The Catocala illecta caterpillar shows a preference for honey locust and lead plant.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala illecta 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.

Amorpha canescens Gleditsia triacanthos....... Robinia pseudoacacia

Lead plant Honey locust Black locust/False acacia

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