Erebidae

Catocala epione Epione Underwing

10 9 8 n=0 7 High Mt. • • • 6 N 5 • •• u 4 • 3 • • • • m 2 • • • b 1 • e 0 • • • • • r 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 • 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 NC counties: 23 • Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec o 10 f 9 n=8 = Sighting or Collection 8 • 7 Low Mt. High counts of: • in NC since 2001 F 6 l 5 4 - Stokes - 1997-07-08 = Not seen since 2001 4 • i 3 1 - Richmond - 2010-06-18 g 2 Status Rank h 1 1 - Richmond - 2009-06-24 0 NC US NC Global t 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 D Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec a 10 10 9 9 t 8 n=26 8 n=8 e 7 Pd 7 CP s 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Three periods to each month: 1-10 / 11-20 / 21-31 FAMILY: SUBFAMILY: Erebinae TRIBE: TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: One of 103 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 67 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Included by Barnes and McDunnough (1918) in their Group III (also adopted by Forbes, 1954), which also contains consors. Both are -feeding species.

FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012) ONLINE PHOTOS: MPG, BugGuide, BAMONA, BOLD TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Forbes (1954); Sargent (1976) TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES: Forbes (1954)

ID COMMENTS: A medium-small, blackish Underwing with a bright white fringe on its hindwings. The ground color of the forewings is dark gray, with blackish shading in the median area; the reniform is largely brown and subreniform is pale. The antemedian and postmedian lines are jet black and are shaded inwardly and outwardly, respectively, with brown; the brown band on the outside of the postmedian line is particularly conspicuous and is followed by a diffuse pale subterminal line. The hindwings are jet black but bordered by a pure white fringe with no dark checks (Forbes, 1954; Sargent, 1976). No other predominantly dark underwing has the gleaming white hindwing fringe.

DISTRIBUTION: Possibly occurring statewide, although we do not yet have any records from either the Barrier Islands or High Mountains

FLIGHT COMMENT: Univoltine, with adults flying primarily in June and July

HABITAT: Our records come from a wide variety of hardwood forests, ranging from bottomlands to sandhills to dry ridges

FOOD: Stenophagous, feeding on (Carya spp.). Barnes and MacDunnough (1918) noted that larvae refused all foods in captivity except hickories; Sargent (1976) reared it on Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata).

OBSERVATION_METHODS: Comes to blacklights to some extent and also to bait. This species is easily flushed during the day; a number of our records come from daytime searches

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: G5 [S5]

STATE PROTECTION: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

COMMENTS: Occurs widely across the state, feeds on common and widespread host plants, and occupies a variety of hardwood forests. Appears to be secure in North Carolina.

March 2021 The of North Carolina - Early Draft 1