Aholibah Underwing
Encyclopedia
The Aholibah Underwing (Catocala aholibah) is a moth
of the "owlet" family
Noctuidae
, which has over 25,000 known members, and more than that yet undescribed. Like other moths of Underwing genus
(Catocala
), this species has dull gray and black speckled forewings which help it blend into its surroundings, and bright orange underwings that it reveals to startle predators.
The adults are mature during the early summer, and are found in western North America
from British Columbia
south to Arizona
.
An adult has a wingspan of up to 8 centimeters. The larva is a dark gray mottled caterpillar with thick pink-tinted legs and a jumping ability. The adults feed on nectar, sap, and rotting fruit, while the larvae prefer the foliage of several oak
species.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the "owlet" family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
, which has over 25,000 known members, and more than that yet undescribed. Like other moths of Underwing genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
(Catocala
Catocala
Catocala is a genus of noctuid moths commonly known as Underwings. Most species have brightly coloured underwings, orange, red, or white. The genus name is a combination of two Greek words, kato behind, and kalos beautiful...
), this species has dull gray and black speckled forewings which help it blend into its surroundings, and bright orange underwings that it reveals to startle predators.
The adults are mature during the early summer, and are found in western North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
south to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
An adult has a wingspan of up to 8 centimeters. The larva is a dark gray mottled caterpillar with thick pink-tinted legs and a jumping ability. The adults feed on nectar, sap, and rotting fruit, while the larvae prefer the foliage of several oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
species.