Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777
Catocala badia
This record describes Catocala badia (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - forewing dark brown inside AM line and in PM area; light brown beyond nearly-straight ST line and in band outside AM line; PM line black, wavy, usually inconspicuous. Hindwing orange with two black bands of similar width. The former Catocala coelebs was reduced to a subspecies of C. badia [i.e. C. b. coelebs ] by Gall and Hawks in 2002.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Catocalini
- Genus
- Catocala (Underwings)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Coastal habitats where food plant grows.
Geographic Range
Maine to New Jersey along the coast. Inland reports from Pennsylvania and Michigan perhaps refer to the more widespread subspecies C. b. coelebs (The Old Maid), as C. b. badia is apparently restricted to the Atlantic coast.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from late June to early October.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on leaves of Wax Myrtle ( Morella cerifera ).
Life History
One generation per year; overwinters as an egg; eggs are laid on tree bark in fall, and hatch the following spring.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin meaning "reddish brown, chestnut colored, bay."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Catocala badia. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777
What is Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777?
Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777 (Catocala badia) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777?
Wingspan 50-60 mm. Larva length to 45 mm.
How do you identify Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777?
Adult - forewing dark brown inside AM line and in PM area; light brown beyond nearly-straight ST line and in band outside AM line; PM line black, wavy, usually inconspicuous. Hindwing orange with two black bands of similar width.
Where is Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Coastal habitats where food plant grows. |
| Range | Maine to New Jersey along the coast. Inland reports from Pennsylvania and Michigan perhaps refer to the more widespread subspecies C. b. coelebs (The Old Maid), as C. b. badia is apparently restricted to the Atlantic coast. |
What does Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777 eat?
The diet of the Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777 includes Larvae feed on leaves of Wax Myrtle ( Morella cerifera )..
When is Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777 active?
Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777: seasonal activity - Adults fly from late June to early October..
What is the life cycle of a Bay Underwing - Hodges#8777?
One generation per year; overwinters as an egg; eggs are laid on tree bark in fall, and hatch the following spring.