Bug FAQSweetheart Underwing
Catocala amatrix · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: The Sweetheart, Sweetheart Underwing Moth
The Sweetheart Underwing is a moth in the family Erebidae. Its wingspan ranges from about 75 to 95 mm. Adults are on the wing from August through October, depending on where they live.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala amatrix, called the Sweetheart Underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The species has a wingspan of roughly 75 to 95 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on several poplar species and on black willow.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from August to October, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period is late summer to early fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes eastern Canada and much of the United States, from the Atlantic coast to the western states mentioned above.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 45 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Ohio, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Indiana.
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catocala_amatrix
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.