Underwing Moth resting on mossy bark
Location: SE Michigan
September 24, 2011 6:52 pm
Hello, Bugman: Spotted this large underwing moth flying around eratically during the afternoon; was surprised both by it’s size and that it was flying during a sunny afternoon. Not sure which of the many kinds of Underwings this one is, but it was about 2.5 inches across. It landed on a tree, hoping to ”blend-in” with it’s cryptic patterning. I was able to get 2 nice close-ups, before it fluttered away. Thought you might like to add this shot to your Underwing info.
Signature: Chris O.
Underwing
Hi Chris,
Thanks so much for sending your photo of an Underwing Moth. We posted another photo earlier today and we wrote about the camouflage ability of the Underwing Moths. Though your mossy trunk does not effectively hide this individual, our readers should be able to imagine it blending in on a lighter barked tree. While we don’t believe the Underwing has the ability to choose a tree that will effectively hide it, we do believe that those moths that blend into the trees in a specific area will survive and then subsequently pass on the traits that determine their coloration to their offspring. Your description of the Underwing flying during daylight hours is very accurate.
1
¶ Posted 24 September 2011 § ‡ ° Two differnt butterflies
Location: eastern, canada
September 24, 2011 8:26 am
There is two different type of butterflies and I don’t know what is type is.
Signature: M.o
Underwing
Dear M.o,
You have mistaken an Underwing Moth in the genus Catocala for a butterfly. Underwing Moths usually have forewings that are patterned like tree bark. When the Underwing Moth rests on the trunk of a tree, it is perfectly camouflaged, and when it flies, its brightly colored underwings present a flashy appearance. A predator will be fooled once a flying moth comes to rest hiding the brightly colored underwings. Your other butterfly is a Red Admiral.
1
¶ Posted 24 September 2011 § ‡ ° Brown and red butterfly
Location: Colorado
July 21, 2011 3:44 am
Hey! You’re team is apparently very good at identifying insects and things, so I was wondering if you happen to know what this little creature is. My friend took the pictures at night outside is home in Colorado, but I’m pretty sure it’s a butterfly (since its wings are vertical in the second pic). Other than that, I am having no luck in identifying it. Any idea what kind of butterfly this is?
Signature: Mandooooo
Underwing
Dear Mandooooo,
This is actually a moth and not a butterfly. Underwing Moths in the genus Catocala are characterized by drab forewings that blend in with tree bark, and boldly marked and colored underwings that show in flight. If the moth is startled and flies, it displays its bright colors, but when it alights on a tree, it seems to vanish. Any predators will be hunting for a brightly colored tasty morsel, and they may easily overlook the now camouflaged Underwing Moth.
Underwing Moth
¶ Posted 21 July 2011 § ‡ ° What is this moth
Location: Waco Texas
May 12, 2011 9:42 am
What is this moth? Found it in Central Texas on an oak tree in May 2011.
I enjoy your site.
Thank you
Signature: Ann
Probably Underwing Moth
Dear Ann,
We believe this is an Underwing Moth in the genus Catocala. Underwing Moths usually have brownish grey patterned forewings that resemble tree bark which camouflages the moths quite well while they are at rest. The underwings are often more brightly colored and more boldly marked. When the moth is forced to fly during daylight hours, the bright forewings capture the attention of a predator who is then unable to locate the moth once it comes to rest because it blends in so well with its surroundings.
¶ Posted 13 May 2011 § ‡ ° Underwing Moth
Location: Ancaster, Ontario
November 16, 2010 4:58 am
This underwing invited itself into the house and I took the photos in June of this year. I captured it in a vase to get a closer look and to take some pictures of it (and also to keep my cats from eating it) and then let it go back outside.
I love their aerodynamic little faces.
Signature: Cheryl-Anne
Greater Yellow Underwing
Hi Cheryl-Anne,
We nearly went dizzy scrolling through all the individuals in the Owlet Moth family Noctuidae on the Moth Photographers Group which does not recognize the newer taxonomy on BugGuide of the superfamily Noctuoidae. This is one large family or superfamily, but we finally found Noctua pronuba on the Moth Photographers Group on Plate 33 (Noctuidae, Noctuinae), and it matches your moth. BugGuide identifies Noctua pronuba by the common names Greater Yellow Underwing, Large Yellow Underwing or Winter Cutworm (larva) and states that it was: “Introduced from Europe to Nova Scotia in 1979, this species has since spread north to the Arctic Ocean, west to the Pacific, and south to the Gulf of Mexico.“
Greater Yellow Underwing
Unknown Australian hawkmoth.
April 3, 2010
Greetings.
Although I’m usually pretty good at identifying local insects, I’ve never seen this one before! I spotted this very large hawkmoth on the balcony and I’m absolutely stumped. You can’t really tell from the pictures, but its first pair of wings were almost irridescent; they seemed to change from dark green to jet black depending on the angle. It’s currently mid-Autumn, should that make a difference. What species is it? It’s really quite gorgeous. =)
Maire
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Fruit Piercing Moth
Greetings Maire,
In February 2008 we posted a photo of this unusual Noctuid Moth, and we had assistance in identifying it as a Fruit Piercing Moth, Eudocima salaminia. You can find some nice images on Light Creations Critter Page and on the Butterfly House website of Australian species.
Fruit Piercing Moth
The adult moth is considered a pest because it feeds by piercing fruit with its sharp proboscis, leaving the fruit vulnerable to fungus infections.
Fruit Piercing Moth
Well, that explains why I couldn’t identify it – I’ve never seen an owlet
moth with such sharply pointed wings before! Thankyou very much, always
glad to learn more about my buggy friends. =)
Maire.
1
a moth?
January 24, 2010
well i found 2 similar caterpillars about 2 months ago so i took them to my house oh and i took the leafs from the near trees and i err raised them until they became cocoons and well one cocoon went missing while the other one is still in its cocoon and one day there was a moth i think, that was on the cocoon so i wonder is this what came out of the missing one if so why was it on the other’s cocoon…
Victor R
west israel
Green Drab Moth
Hi Victor,
Your moth resembles a Fruit Piercing Moth, Eudocima materna, we have posted in the past. It is definitely a different species, but we wonder if it is related. We hope one of our readers can assist in this identification.
Cocoon: Fruit Piercing Moth
Hi Daniel and Victor:
This is indeed a fruit-piercing moth, probably Ophiusa tirhaca (Noctuidae: Catocalinae). I don’t know if it has a common name in Israel but elsewhere it is referred to as the Green Drab Moth. It has quit a wide distribution, including southern Europe, Africa and Asia, and it has been introduced to Australia. As the name of the group suggests, the adult moths feed by piercing various fruits, especially soft fruits. The larvae feed on the leaves of a variety of trees and shrubs and can be a pest on pistachio trees (including in Israel). Regards.
Karl
moth from south india
December 11, 2009
this moth flew into my drawing room one evening and I took some pictures with my mobile camera.my home is in ,Kerala,South India, and the pics were taken on 8 august 2009 about 8:30 pm . the season here was near the end of the monsoon rains
kiran
Cochin, Kerala, South india
Underwing Moth
Hi kiran,
Generally, moths with this appearance are called Underwing Moths, and many are in the genus Catocala. Underwings often have brightly colored underwings and drab upper wings that blend with tree bark. If the moth is startled and flies during the day, it is easy to spot, but when it comes to rest, it disappears in its surroundings, effectively eluding a predator. We cannot be certain if your moth is in the genus Catocala, but it is probably in the family Erebidae.
Correction by Karl
Hi Daniel:
This looks like another fruit-piercing moth (Noctuidae: Calpinae [sometimes included in subfamily Ophiderinae or Catocalinae]) in the genus Eudocima. Of the seven species found in India, only E. hypermnestra has this particular two-spotted pattern on the hindwing. The forewing matches well also but you have to brighten the image a little to see it. A nice photo of the similar E. materna was posted recently on WTB by Ram Kulkarni (from Pune, India). Regards.
Karl
Thanks so much for the correction Karl. We were rushing out of the house for physical therapy and a busy day at work, and the thought did cross our mind that this might be a Fruit Piercing Moth, but we surrendered to our first impression.
¶ Posted 11 December 2009 § ‡ ° 
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