Bug FAQHawthorn Underwing Moth
Catocala crataegi · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Hawthorn underwing
The hawthorn underwing moth (Catocala crataegi) is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 40 to 50 mm and belongs to the family Erebidae. It occurs across eastern Canada and the United States, from Ontario and Quebec east to Prince Edward Island, south through Maine to Georgia, and west to Arkansas and Minnesota. Adults are on the wing from June to August, and the species likely has one generation per year; the larvae feed on hawthorn and apple leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The hawthorn underwing moth, scientific name Catocala crataegi, belongs to the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 40 to 50 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on leaves of hawthorn (Crataegus) and apple (Pyrus malus).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is probably one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, Maine, Vermont.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are hawthorn underwing moths active?
Adults fly from June through August, with exact timing varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae of hawthorn underwing moths eat?
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of hawthorn and apple trees.
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/Catocala_crataegi
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.