Catocala ilia

Catocala ilia, the Ilia underwing, beloved underwing or wife underwing, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1776.[1] It can be found in the eastern part of the United States as well as southern Canada. Subspecies Catocala ilia zoe can be found in California and Arizona.

Catocala ilia
Caterpillar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Erebidae
Genus:	Catocala
Species:	C. ilia
Binomial name
Catocala ilia (Cramer, 1776)
Synonyms
Phalaena ilia Cramer, [1776] Catocala duplicata Worthington, 1883 Ephesia duplicata Catocala decorata Worthington, 1883 Catocala conspicua Worthington, 1883 Catocala uxor Guenée, 1852 Catocala albomacula Butler, 1892 Catocala iliana Strand, 1914 Catocala obsoleta Worthington, 1883 Catocala confusa Worthington, 1883 Catocala normani Bartsch, 1916 Catocala santanas Reiff, 1920 Catocala hulsti Reiff, 1920 Catocala zoe Behr, 1870 Catocala osculata Hulst, 1884 Catocala reiffi Cassino, 1917

The wingspan is 65–82 mm. A spot on its forewing with a distinct white circle which encompasses it distinguishes this moth from others in the same family. Otherwise, the forewing can be extremely variable. The underwing that it is named for can range in color from light orange to a deep red. The moths flies from June to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on oak, including black, burr, red, and white oaks.