Bug FAQLittle Wife Underwing
Catocala muliercula · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: The Little Wife Underwing
The little wife underwing has a wingspan of about 5.4 to 7 cm. Adults fly from May through July, depending on where they are found.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala muliercula, called the little wife underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges between 54 and 70 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the plant Myrica cerifera.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is probably one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from May to July, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to the United States, covering the same states listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 19 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are little wife underwing moths active?
Adults fly from May through July, depending on the region.
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_muliercula
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.