Bug FAQAholibah Underwing Moth
Catocala aholibah · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Aholibah Underwing
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan up to 8 cm and show dull gray-black forewings with bright orange underwings that flash when disturbed. They are active in early summer across western North America from British Columbia to Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewings are speckled gray and black, and the hidden underwings are bright orange for startling predators.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
An adult’s wingspan can reach about 8 cm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Adults are found in western North America during early summer.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults feed on nectar, tree sap and rotting fruit. Larvae prefer the leaves of several oak species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The caterpillar is a dark gray mottled larva with thick pink-tinged legs and can jump.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are mature and active in early summer.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range extends from British Columbia south to Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 19 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon, South Dakota, Wyoming.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars look like?
They are dark gray mottled larvae with thick pink-tinged legs and can jump.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aholibah_underwing
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.