Bug FAQClouded Underwing
Catocala nebulosa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Clouded Underwing Moth
The clouded underwing is a moth in the family Erebidae. Its wingspan ranges from about 75 to 86 mm. It lives across much of the United States and southern Canada, from Ontario down to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala nebulosa, called the clouded underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 75 to 86 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on shagbark hickory (Carya cordiformis) and black walnut (Juglans nigra).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is probably one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from July through September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers much of the United States and parts of southern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Kentucky.
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
When can I see adult clouded underwings?
Adults are active from July to September, with exact timing varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on shagbark hickory and black walnut trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations are produced each year?
There is probably one generation per year.
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_nebulosa
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.