Widow Underwing Moth

Description:

Large Erebid moth with pale gray forewings with prominent black lines. 80mm wingspan or greater. Reniform spot surrounded by a white ring. Hindwings black (with blue hues) with white fringe. Almost a perfect camouflage against pine bark! According to EverythingAbout.net, "most underwing moths are active at night, and spend the day resting upside down with their wings open against the bark of trees or stumps. The exposed forewings of underwings provide marvelous camouflage, blending into the background on which the moth rests. Experiments have shown that underwings will select tree barks that increase their degree of camouflage. For example, the white underwing often rests on the bark of white birch trees while the blackish wayward nymph typically rests on dark tree trunks or blackened stumps."

Habitat:

Dense mixed hardwood forest. Perching on a pine.

Notes:

Larval form feeds on hickory and walnut leaves (and other deciduous foliage) and oviposits in tree bark grooves in autumn.