Bug FAQBenjamin's Underwing
Catocala benjamini · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Benjamin's Underwing lives in Arizona, Nevada, southern California and southern Utah. Its caterpillars eat the leaves of Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii). Adults appear in June and there is probably one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the leaves of Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is probably one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing in June.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Arizona, Nevada, southern California and southern Utah in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It was formerly considered a subspecies of Catocala andromache.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where is Benjamin's Underwing found?
In Arizona, Nevada, southern California and southern Utah.
Source: Wikipedia
Is Benjamin's Underwing related to any other moths?
It was once treated as a subspecies of Catocala andromache.
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catocala_benjamini
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.