Catocala vidua
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm VID-ewe-uh
(J.E. Smith, 1797) Phalaena vidua

Catocala vidua courtesy of Hugh McGuinness, 9-22-02 in Sag Harbor, NY

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 Widow Underwing, Catocala vidua (wingspan: 70-80mm), flies from southern Ontario, Canada, into Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut, south to Florida, west to Texas and Oklahoma and north to Wisconsin.

The ground colour of the forewing is light grey. There is a distinguished dark arc running through the top of the reniform spot to the apex. There are heavy, dark anal and basal dashes. The hindwing is black with broad, white fringe, only lightly interrupted. Catocala vidua courtesy of Clemson University.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS: Catocala vidua flies as a single generation with moths on the wing from early August into late October. The vidua to the right, in typical resting pose, came into a light in Sag Harbor, New York, on September 22, 2002. Image courtesy of Hugh McGuinness. The Catocala vidua caterpillar feeds on hickories, walnuts, oak, willow and locust species. Adults come readily to bait and to lights.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed under leaf litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala vidua 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 illinoinensis....... Carya ovata Carya pallida Juglans cinerea Juglans nigra Quercus Robinia pseudoacacia Salix

Pecan Shagbark hickory Sand hickory Butternut Black walnut Oak Black locust/False acacia Willow

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