Catocala neogama
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm nee-OH-gam-uh
(J.E.Smith, 1797) Phalaena neogama

Catocala neogama female, 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:

Catocala neogama, the Bride Underwing, (wingspan: 70-85mm) flies from Ontario and Quebec south to Florida and west through Texas and Oklahoma to Arizona and north to Colorado and Wisconsin. Tom Middagh reports them in Minnesota.

Neogama specimens tend to be slightly smaller than subnata, and have darker grey brown forewings with more pronounced markings.

Examination of hind tibia is sometimes needed for identification. Those of neogama tend to be flattened and unevenly and sparsely spined while tibia of subnata are cylindrical with spines dense and uniform in distribution.

Catocala neogama August 9, 2004, St-Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, Quebec,
females, attracted to bait, courtesy of Pierrre Legault.

Adults come to lights and to bait.

The melanic form "mildredae", Franclemont, has forewings that are entirely black.

Visit C. neogama / C. subnata / C.piatrix comparison.

Catocala subnata, male and female left, courtesy of Pierre Legault;
Catocala neogama, females right, Montreal, Quebec, August 2002

Note the general overall darker appearance of C. neogama as well as the slightly smaller size and the termination of the hindwing median band.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala neogama are on the wing in late July to late September in Quebec (rare), probably late July to late August elsewhere, although June 5 is a collecting date in Dallas, Texas.

The Catocala neogama caterpillar feeds on Carya and Juglans species. There have also been reports of oak as a host.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala neogama 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 Juglans cinerea Juglans microcarpa...... Juglans nigra Juglans regia Quercus

Hickory Butternut Texas walnut Black walnut English walnut Oak

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