Sweetheart Underwing

Appearance

The wingspan is 75–95 mm. The moths flies from August to October depending on the location.

Adult - very large. Forewing grayish to purplish-brown with wavy black lines; typical form has diffuse broken black band running from basal area to apex; form electa lacks this band, form pallida is very pale, form hesseli is very dark (melanic). hindwing pinkish-red with black bands; fringe wide and yellowish-white.

Naming

Catocala amatrix (Hübner, [1813])
Noctua amatrix Hübner, [1813]
Catocala nurus Walker, [1858] (preocc.)
Catocala selecta Walker, [1858] (preocc.)
Catocala editha Edwards, 1874 (112)
Catocala pallida Barnes & McDunnough, 1918 (preocc.)
Catocala amatrix form "hesseli" Sargent, 1976

Specific epithet is Latin for "female lover."

Distribution

Eastern North American, ranging west through the Great Plains, west to central Montana, Utah, and Arizona.

Behavior

Skittish. Frequently rests by day under bark and in crevices, with a heads down posture. It is nocturnal and comes to light and sugar bait.

Habitat

This species is widely distributed in eastern North America, and is particularly common in cottonwood forests along rivers, creeks, and in urban areas throughout the Great Plains. It may be expanding its distribution westward in similar habitats across southern Idaho and into eastern Oregon.

Reproduction

Overwinters as an egg; eggs are laid on tree bark in the fall and hatch in the spring; larvae feed in foilage of trees, then descend the trunk and pupate on the ground; adults emerge from pupa at the soil surface.

Food

Larvae feed on leaves of poplar (Populus) and black willow (Salix nigra). The larvae feed on ''Populus deltoides'', ''Populus grandidentata'', ''Populus nigra'', ''Populus tremuloides'', and ''Salix nigra''.