Bug FAQLuciana Underwing Moth
Catocala luciana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Luciana Underwing
The shining underwing moth has a wingspan of about 63 to 68 mm. It lives across western North America, reaching east to Minnesota and Illinois and north into southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, and is also common on the Great Plains down to New Mexico, Arizona and California. Adults are active from August through October, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala luciana, known as the shining underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 63 to 68 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in western North America, extending east to Minnesota and Illinois and north into extreme southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. It occurs widely across the Great Plains and southward to New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from August to October, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range also includes the Great Plains down to New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 18 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin.
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
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_luciana
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.