Insect
Ilia Underwing
Catocala iliaAlso known as Beloved Underwing, Wife Underwing
Ilia underwings spend daylight resting flat against tree bark, where their cryptically mottled forewings render them nearly invisible. When disturbed, they flash vibrant orange-yellow hindwings patterned with dark black bands to startle birds and escape. Caterpillars feed heavily on oak foliage before spinning cocoons in leaf litter to pupate.
NocturnalCamouflagedMoth
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyOak leaves, Tree sap, Fermenting fruit
Predators
- Bats
- Songbirds
- Spiders
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, light pollution, and broad-spectrum pesticide use.
HabitatsDeciduous forests, oak woodlands, parks, and tree-lined suburban areas.
Life span1–2 months as adult; 1 year total lifecycle.
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyErebidae
- GenusCatocala
- SpeciesCatocala ilia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting: Scan oak trunks in late summer for their mottled bark-like forewings.
- Attracting: Paint fermented fruit mixture or sugar bait onto tree trunks at dusk.
Host Plant (c) Alicia Ballard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator Wolfgang Wander / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Nancy Mullin · cc0
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Found in Collections
Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Ilia Underwing is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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