Bug FAQMessalina Underwing
Catocala messalina · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The Messalina underwing is a moth in the family Erebidae. It has a wingspan of about 40 to 45 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala messalina, known as the Messalina underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan ranges between 40 and 45 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on oak trees such as Quercus geminata, Quercus hemisphaerica and Quercus virginiana.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May through August, likely producing one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from May to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 7 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina, Arkansas, Kansas, South Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on several oak species, including Quercus geminata, Quercus hemisphaerica and Quercus virginiana.
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_messalina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.