Bug FAQYellow-Gray Underwing
Catocala retecta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Yellow-gray Underwing Moth
The yellow-gray underwing is a moth in the family Erebidae. Its wingspan ranges from about 60 to 75 mm and adults are on the wing from July through October. Caterpillars feed on walnut (Juglans) and hickory (Carya) trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala retecta, known as the yellow-gray underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures between 60 and 75 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on species of walnut (Juglans) and hickory (Carya).
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from July to October, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers much of eastern Canada and the United States, extending from Ontario and Quebec southward to Georgia and westward to Kansas.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
A recognized subspecies, Catocala retecta luctuosa, is sometimes treated as a separate species called the yellow-fringed underwing.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Connecticut, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Virginia, Illinois.
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
Questions people ask
When can I see adult yellow-gray underwings?
Adults fly from July through October, with exact timing varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on walnut (Juglans) and hickory (Carya) trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are yellow-gray underwings found?
They live across much of eastern Canada and the United States, from Ontario and Quebec down to Georgia and west to Kansas.
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_retecta
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.