Catocala praeclara
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm pree-CLAIR-uh
Grote and Robinson, 1866

Catocala praeclara courtesy of Cindy Mead, Michigan.

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 praeclara, the Praeclara Underwing, (wingspan: 40-50mm) flies from Alberta and Saskatchewan east to Ontario and through to Nova Scotia maybe???, south to Florida, west to Kansas and Minnesota.

The forewing is a pale greenish-grey with considerable contrastng brown shading beyond post medial line. There is a black basal dash very close to the inner margin and another dash, higher up in the median area. Note the contrasting shapes of the reniform and subreniform spots. Catocala praeclara courtesy of Canadian Biodiverstiy Information Facility

Vernon Brou writes, "Praeclara's forewings can be silver, green or purple, depending on the locale across the eastern US."

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala praeclara are usually on the wing from July to September.

The Catocala praeclara caterpillar shows a preference for chokeberry and juneberry.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala praeclara 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/bush bark in the fall and hatch the following spring.

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.

Amelanchier Crataegus Crataegus calpodendron....... Photinia Photinia X prunifolia Photinia melanocarpa

Service berry/Juneberry/Shadbush Hawthorn Red haw/Pear hawthorn/Urn-tree haw Photinia Photinia Black chokeberry

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