Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

28 July 2003   9:42PM EST  (top)
25 September 2002   8:53PM EST  (bottom)

Catocala relicta is one of 28 species of Catocala that have been recorded from the Ottawa area (J.D. Lafontaine, pers. comm., 2001). To date, I have observed 19 of these species at my location. Collectively, these are referred to as the underwing moths, for their often-colorful hindwings.

The specimens of Catocala relicta illustrated above are both of the form "clara" in which the forewing is mainly creamy white with dark gray to black markings. In the top photo, it is easy to make out double blackish antemedial and postmedial lines filled with a slightly more yellowish white, and with the strongest dark markings at costa and inner margin. The blackish, smudgy median band obscures the reniform spot, below which the band is almost interrupted by a cream-filled subreniform spot. The blackish zigzag subterminal line is similarly most evident at costa and anal angle. The terminal line appears as a series of black marks preceding the white fringe. According to Covell (1984), Catocala relicta is the only North American underwing moth with black and white bands on the hindwing, and has a wingspan of 7 to 8 cm. Covell further notes that this species is also known as the Forsaken Underwing and The Relict.

According to Handfield (1999), the larvae of Catocala relicta feed on poplar, in particular on trembling aspen, but also on other species of poplar, willow and birch. He indicates an adult flight season from mid-July to early October for my general area. Despite the fact that this species is considered fairly common, it is one I seldom see.

My records to date for Catocala relicta (each date representing "the night of") are in the table below: