Catocala ophelia
kah-TOCK-uh-lahMoh-FEEL-ee-uh
Henry Edwards, 1880

Catocala ophelia, Los Angeles County, California, courtesy of Clark Thompson.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: Erebidae, Leach, [1815] Subfamily: Erebinae, Leach, [1815] Tribe: Catocalini, Boisduval, [1828] Genus: Catocala, Schrank, 1802

DISTRIBUTION:

Catocala ophelia (wingspan: 52mm) flies in the dry forests of Arizona, California and southwestern Oregon.

Dr. Wayne Whaley reports, "C. ophelia does come into Utah from the south where it is more common. I know of 2 or 3 specimens taken in Salt Lake Co. and Utah Co."

It has also been reported in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.

The moth formerly described as Catocala dollii is a synonym of Catocala opehlia.

Catocala ophelia female, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
September 7, 2009, courtesy of Edna Woodward.

Catocala ophelia female, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
September 7, 2009, courtesy of Edna Woodward, some digital repairs by Bill Oehlke.

Edna Woodward writes, "I hate to trouble you, but can you identify this Catocala? It's not very big like some others. They are about the size of verrilliana just about an inch or so, and it's tattered, but hopefully there will be enough to go on.

"But I have eggs! Lots of them. She's in a sack with a plum, and she eats and lays eggs. What a cinch!"

Edna has had great success rearing and photographing some of the local Sphingidae so I am very hopeful she will have success overwintering the eggs and rearing and photographing the larvae and subsequent moths. I was not one hundred percent sure of the id when I first saw the images depicted above, but I am quite confident after seeing the hidwings. I asked Edna to send me another photo after the female had expired.

Catocala ophelia female, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
September 14, 2009, courtesy of Edna Woodward, some digital repairs by Bill Oehlke.

The forewing is dark grey and the antemedial and postmedial lines are relatively smooth except for the two jagged spikes in the postmedial line near the apex. There is considerable brown shading outside the subterminal line. The hindwing is deep red with the black median band constricted in the center and terminating before the inner margin. The black submarginal border is quite broad near the apex. The white fringe is heavily checked. David Wikle image reworked by Bill Oehlke.

The subspecies dolli Beutenmuller, 1907, flies in the same region.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Catocala ophelia are on the wing in late summer, from mid July into early October in California.

The Catocala ophelia caterpillar feeds on Quercus macrocarpa and Quercus chrysolepis.

Edna Woodward reports they accept California white oak and black oak, as well as the live oak in captivity in southwestern Oregon.

Catocala ophelia, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
September 12, 2013, courtesy of Edna Woodward.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae at soil surface.

Catocala ophelia, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
September 12, 2013, courtesy of Edna Woodward.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Catocala ophelia females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their antennae to track the scent plume.

Catocala ophelia ophelia male, Hualapai Mtn Rd, Mohave County, AZ.,
Aug 18 1991. collector, R.P. Meyer, courtesy of Kelly Richers.

EGGS, CATERPILLARS, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited on tree bark in the fall and hatch the following spring.

Edna Woodward successfully overwintered eggs deposited by a female in September.

Catocala ophelia first instar, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
May 24, 2010, courtesy of Edna Woodward.

Catocala ophelia first or second instar, Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon,
May 30, 2010, courtesy of Edna Woodward.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive, although some species seem very host specific. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Quercus lobata (EB) Quercus kelloggii (EB) Quercus macrocarpa Quercus chrysolepis.......

California White oak Black oak Bur oak Canyon live oak

This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.