Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852
Catocala verrilliana
This record describes Catocala verrilliana (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
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
Geographic Range
Washington south to California, west to Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. ( 6 ) Grote's specimen: Bosque County, Texas, June 13th (G.W. Belfrage ). ( 7 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Oak, including white oak ( Quercus alba ), burr oak ( Quercus macrocarpa ), Garry oak ( Quercus garryana ). ( 6 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of zoologist Addison Emery Verill (1839-1926) of New Haven, Connecticut (Yale).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Catocala verrilliana. 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 Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by John Davis , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852
How big is Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852?
Wingspan about 45-60 mm. ( 6 )
Where is Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852 found?
Range: Washington south to California, west to Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. ( 6 ) Grote's specimen: Bosque County, Texas, June 13th (G.W. Belfrage ). ( 7 )
What does Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852 eat?
The diet of the Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852 includes Oak, including white oak ( Quercus alba ), burr oak ( Quercus macrocarpa ), Garry oak ( Quercus garryana ). ( 6 ).