Catocala meskei
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm MES-kee-eye
Grote, 1873

Catocala meskei, North Dakota, courtesy of Gerald Fauske.

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

MIDI MUSIC "Moon River" copyright C. Odenkirk MIDI CITY ON.OFF <bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala meskei, Meske's Underwing (wingspan: 65-75mm) flies in southern Canada (Alberta to Quebec), and in the northern United States east of the Rockies at least to Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Catocala meskei female, August 12, 1994,
Longueuil, Quebec, courtesy of Pierre Legault.

The forewings are less distinctly marked compared to unijuga and there is some red-orange at the hindwing apex and just inside the fringe along the outer margin in meskei that is lacking in unijuga.

The forewing subreniform spot is opened or connected to the postmedian line. The hindwing postmedian band is nearly straight, turned in and tapering near the anal angle. The ventral hind wing is without a separate discal lunule or has a faint one as in the image below.

The form "krombeini" is the melanic version with a uniformly blackish forewing.

Catocala meskei female, verso, courtesy of Pierre Legault.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala meskei flies as a single generation with moths on the wing from May into June, and apparently into August, based on image below, but I am not positive on this id.

Catocala meskei, Peterborough, Ontario, August 16, 2004, courtesy of Tim Dyson copyright.

The Catocala meskei caterpillar feeds on poplars and willows.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed under leaf litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala meskei 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.

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