Bug FAQWonderful Underwing
Catocala mira · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Wonderful Underwing Moth
The wonderful underwing moth has a wingspan of about 40 to 50 mm and shows gray forewings with a lighter diagonal band, while its hindwings are orange with two irregular black bands and a checkered fringe. Adults fly in July and August, and the species likely produces only one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewings are gray with a lighter gray diagonal band that runs horizontally across each wing. The hindwings are orange with two black bands that have very irregular edges and a checkered fringe along the outer margin.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures between 40 and 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on hawthorn (Crataegus).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from July to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during July and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The wonderful underwing is native to North America, ranging from central Canada through the eastern United States to the Gulf Coast and the Midwest.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It probably has only one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the wonderful underwing found?
It occurs across much of North America, from central Canada down through the eastern United States to Florida and west to Texas and the Midwest.
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_mira
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.