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Trehopr1, a beautiful series of catocala. And you seem to get a great number of species in your area, a few that never stray this far north. Here in southern and central Ontario there are something like 47 recorded species, but some of those are likely rare strays/one offs. I have personally collected 35 species over the years, mostly at bait. I also love to see the variation within certain species. Here are a few from my collection displaying degrees of variation or forms.

The yellow amatrix and C.hermia and C. luciana are not from Ontario, those I acquired from a collector in Saskatchewan.

Wow , thank you very much mothman55 for sharing so many nice images of your specimens !

I really appreciate the contributions to the thread. It helps to show some of the species (variety) as well as some of the named forms.

You have certainly run across a broad spectrum of forms I've never seen before. I appreciate the learning experience I'm gaining from your pictures. Of course, some very NICE specimens as well !

If possible, could you provide pictures of C. cara or C. relicta you may have run across ?

Both species are hands down favorites of mine but, I only encounter C. cara very sporadically (as singles); thus I have only gotten 4 nice ones myself plus 2 more from another collection. C. relicta is nonexistent in my general area but, I have picked up five specimens from another collection which are quite nice.

Trehopr1, just happens that I house C. cara and C. relicta in the same extra large drawer. Both species are common here, I can get you some this summer if you want.

WOW !! that extra large drawer is absolutely "staggering"....

Two of my favorite catocala species side by side.
I "heartily" accept your offer. Can pay if needed for REALLY fine examples. Let me know via PM.

Very much appreciate your interest in this thread.

Trehopr1 and mothman55,

Love your Cats. Very impressive. This is also a favorite of mine. I don’t have time to resize pics of all my 30 drawers of Cats, but did do a couple that I really like. If I had to pick favorites, I’d spend more time and do up about 10 drawers for sure. Top is C. relicta and bottom is C. marmorata (my favorite overall) although C. cara, carísima, coccinata, and concumbens are runners up.

All impressive displays! I wish I had the space and time for that.

The white underwings are in this area locally common, depending on where the trees are. Where I run lights now I have yet to see one.

VERY nice species drawers Billg !

I knew your interest in these was strong so I was very much hoping that you would chime-in with some captures of your own.

If time allows I would love to see your holdings of concumbens, cara, and carrissima. Of course, any rare/scarce species which you have encountered would also be much appreciated. Many thanks....

Central, N.E. Saskatchewan, Canada - Catocala briseis: darker forewing fm. on sugar bait.


Great camouflage of C. briseis (paler forewing color fm.) on weathered board of building... found, (accidentally!), resting the next morning, on a wall, immediately beside a sheet & light setup, from the previous night.


Very Rare white forewings fm. of C. briseis.


John K.

My rarest are probably the C. marmoratas, but here are a few….
Catocala cara And Catocala carissima Catocala atocala, sappho with maestosas

Bill, did you rear the C. marmoratas or are they wild caught? They are certainly beautiful.

I caught them at two very specific locations. I’m not sure if there is a verified rearer of this moth. One place a friend took me to (I drove a 1600 mile round trip just for this moth) and another spot he took me to, we just happened to get them there. The first place is now void of them bc the lights there have gone LED. We might someday try black lighting there nearby, but I’ve really got enough for me. They are really beautiful and pretty darn big. At the second spot, with our first sighting, our first thought was it was a C. amatrix. I jokingly remarked….looks like a marmorata and, sure enough, it was. I think we each caught 4 or 5 that night. We’ve done ok there for several following years. It’s at the very top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere. I might add that the conditions have to be perfect, or either spot will not produce them. I think my friend has about a dozen more than I in his collection.

Catocala cerogama Oh….almost forgot to mention, at this mountain top, Eric and I also caught a Ghost Moth (Sthenopsis auratus) and a Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata) along with my once in a lifetime catch of a gynandromorph Antheraea polyphemus. When the conditions are right, this has become our “moth Heaven”.

Surely, one of THE most respendent and unusual catocala
species to encounter in northern N. America is this one:

The White Underwing (Catocala relicta)


The common name derives from it being a white-colored
member of the Catocala clan. This is quite unique as most
all other species are varying shades of grey, brown, or black
on the forewings.

The species name (relicta) comes from the Latin "relictus"
which means forsaken, lost or abandoned --- a clear
reference to other common names it is known by such as
Forsaken Underwing or the Relict Underwing.

Adults have a wingspan typically between 70-80 mm. The
species is variable in its markings with the "whitest"
individuals being a named form ---clara. Other, more
salt & pepper colored individuals are known as form ---phrynia.
Yet, still there remain others which don't quite "fit" either of
those named forms.

The species lives in southern Canada but, may be found in
many of the "northern" states bordering Canada. It has worked its
way down a bit further in places. Here in Illinois it is rarely seen
or encountered and if so it appears localised.

Only recently, I was able to acquire 3 relatively fresh specimens
of this incomparable species (for which I am very grateful). These
are Canadian in origin and are mighty special when one cannot
typically find or collect any oneself !

Wonderful species !

A lesser seen/encountered variation of C. relicta
is this one. Unlike, the much more salt/peppered
look of (form) phrynia this one seems to have more
"stabilized" boundaries where the black/white meet.

This is just my humble opinion and for all I know this
(could) be another form with a name. Although, I am
unaware of any for this one.

This specimen was collected in Sayner, Wisconsin in
August 1947.

Another underwing species which shows considerable
variation is the Tearful Underwing (Catocala lacrymosa).

I will try to periodically post pictures of some of my most
interesting examples of this species but, for now this will
be a start.

Here I offer a quite (typical) example of the species
which is most often encountered.


This specimen below, offers a very nicely "marbled"
appearance which is rich in light grey patches, caramel
zigzags, and black regions/overtones...

One of my favorites…..C. coccinata. Any idea about the one at bottom where yellow marker is? It’s unlike any other coccinata I’ve seen. While dark, it has all the wing markings of coccinata…..maybe a mere melanistic form/abberation???

The one with the yellow marker is an interesting one. Also note that the inner hindwing stripe ends well before the inner margin and is narrower than all the other coccinata, as in a number of other catocala species. I believe there are named "forms" of coccinata with this different inner hindwing stripe. So perhaps this is a form of coccinata that also has melanic forewings. Or perhaps it is another species altogether??

mothman55 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2024 1:42 pm The one with the yellow marker is an interesting one. Also note that the inner hindwing stripe ends well before the inner margin and is narrower than all the other coccinata, as in a number of other catocala species. I believe there are named "forms" of coccinata with this different inner hindwing stripe. So perhaps this is a form of coccinata that also has melanic forewings. Or perhaps it is another species altogether??

I have a number of coccinata with thin, short hw inner stripes, all from coastal Georgia and north Florida. I think that this is the typical southern form. But all of mine have the usual grey fw.

jh