Sordid Underwing

Catocala sordida · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.

The sordid underwing moth (Catocala sordida) belongs to the family Erebidae and has a wingspan of 37 to 45 mm. It is found across North America from Canadian provinces such as Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island down to U.S. states including Maine, Connecticut, Florida and Texas, and adults fly from May to September. The caterpillars feed on hackberry (Celtis) and blueberry (Vaccinium) plants, and the species produces one generation each year.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Its wingspan measures between 37 and 45 millimetres.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Larvae feed on plants of the Celtis (hackberry) and Vaccinium (blueberry) genera.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

There is one generation per year.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

Adult moths are on the wing from May through September.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

The species is native to North America, spanning Canadian provinces and many U.S. states as listed above.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it is found in the US

Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, Connecticut, Virginia.

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Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.

Source: GBIF

Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist

Months it is reported in the US

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Source: GBIF

More photos

Sordid Underwing photo 2 — Photo: Teá Montagna, CC BY

Sordid Underwing photo 3 — Photo: Cecil Smith, CC BY

Sordid Underwing photo 4 — Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0

Sordid Underwing photo 5 — Photo: Teá Montagna, CC BY

Questions people ask

When are adult sordid underwing moths active?

Adults can be seen flying from May until September.

Source: Wikipedia

What do the caterpillars of the sordid underwing eat?

The larvae feed on hackberry (Celtis) and blueberry (Vaccinium) plants.

Source: Wikipedia

How many generations does this moth produce each year?

It produces a single generation annually.

Source: Wikipedia

Where is the sordid underwing found?

It lives across North America from Canadian provinces such as Saskatchewan and New Brunswick down to U.S. states like Maine, Connecticut, Florida and Texas.

Source: Wikipedia