Catocala crataegi
kah-TOCK-uh-lah mm KRAY-tee-gye
Saunders, 1876

Catocala crataegi male, Louisiana, courtesy of Vernon Antoine Brou.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala crataegi, The Hawthorn Underwing, (wingspan: 40-50mm) flies in Canada from Quebec and Prince Edward Island (CNC has records) south through Connecticut to Georgia and west to Arkansas and north to Manitoba.

Determination is based on dark (black) shading in forewing basal area continuing along inner margin to anal angle and brown shading beyond postmedial line. There is also a definite greenish cast to median area. The lower wing has the outer black band, broken near the anal angle, distinguishing crataegi from blandula. Catocala crataegi, Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala crataegi are usually on the wing from late June to August.

Larvae feed on apple and hawthorn trees.

Adults come to lights and to bait.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala crataegi 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. Troy Bartlett encountered this larva on a vine stem wrapped around some Crataegus branches. Larvae hide on stems during the day and feed at night.

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.

Crataegus Pyrus malus.......

Hawthorn Apple

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