Subject: Largish Moff in Michigan
Location: SE Michigan
August 20, 2017 2:53 pm
Hello Doc,
I found a big moth on my van’s window frame today. That’s a good indicator of scale, right? I bet it was close to 1 5/8″ long. Do you know the Type?
Signature: -Eric B.

Underwing, we believe

Dear Eric,
We believe this is an Underwing Moth in the genus Catocala, and based on this BugGuide image, it sure looks like The Sweetheart, Catocala amatrix.  The bare spot on the thorax is a good indication that this is an older individual.  Underwings are so named because their upper wings blend in with tree bark when they are at rest, and if disturbed, they flash often brightly colored underwings, like in this BugGuide image.  Then when the moth comes to rest again and vanishes, it evades getting eaten because any sharp-eyed predator will be looking for much more brightly colored prey.  According to BugGuide:  “larvae feed on leaves of several species of poplar (Populus spp.) and Black Willow (Salix nigra).”

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Subject: Underwing moth?
Location: Mayfield, KY
June 7, 2017 11:29 am
I have been trying to identify this moth for some time now. The closest match I have found in my book is a Widow Underwing. This was found in Western Kentucky in May.
Signature: Janet Fox

Underwing

Dear Janet,
We agree that this appears to be an Underwing in the genus Catocala, but we do not have the necessary skills to provide a definitive species identification for you.  According to BugGuide:  “Lafontaine & Schmidt (2010) listed 101 species of the genus Catocala in America north of Mexico. Powell & Opler (2009) reported 110 species in all of North America, and about 230 worldwide.”  Many of those species look quite similar.

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Subject: Moth in Jakarta
Location: Jakarta
October 30, 2016 5:41 pm
Hi. This guy/gal was hanging on our patio wall in Jakarta, Indonesia, in late October. Any idea what it’s called?
Love your site. Thanks!
Signature: BT

Fruit Piercing Moth

Dear BT,
While we did not find an exact visual match online, we did find several similar looking moths which makes us feel pretty confident this is a Fruit Piercing Moth in the subfamily Calpinae, similar to these images on this Bengkulu Blog or this image from the Papua Insect site.  It seems to most closely resemble Eudocima (Adris) prolai from the Papua Insect site.

Fruit Piercing Moth

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Subject: Some kind of catocala moth?
Location: Troy, VA
August 3, 2016 9:11 am
After doing a search, I’m pretty sure this is a catocala moth, what kind eludes me. It’s lovely, whatever it is, and it was quite obliging by showing its underwings.
Signature: Grace Pedalino

False Underwing

Dear Grace,
Though the common name Underwing is shared by your moth as well as the Underwings in the genus Catocala, your individual is actually a False Underwing, Allotria elonympha, which we identified on BugGuide.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae feed on a variety of deciduous trees, such as Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), hickories, walnuts.”  Black Gum is also the only host listed for The Hebrew you just submitted, so we are speculating there is at least one growing nearby.

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