Bug FAQYouthful Underwing
Catocala subnata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Youthful Underwing Moth
The youthful underwing (Catocala subnata) is a moth in the family Erebidae. It has a wingspan of 75 to 90 mm and flies from July to September. Its caterpillars feed on shagbark hickory, butternut and black walnut trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Catocala subnata, called the youthful underwing, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from about 75 to 90 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in parts of Canada and the United States, from Manitoba and Ontario east to Nova Scotia, and south to North Carolina and west to Texas and Iowa.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat the leaves of shagbark hickory, butternut and black walnut trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is probably one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from July through September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America, covering eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 31 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Connecticut, New York, Michigan, Vermont, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wisconsin.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult youthful underwings active?
Adults are on the wing from July to September, varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae feed on?
The larvae feed on shagbark hickory, butternut and black walnut trees.
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_subnata
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.