Catocala electa.
Only two specimens of this moth are known to have occurred in Britain. One of these was taken at Shoreham, near Brighton, Sussex, September 24, 1875, and the other at Corfe Castle, Dorsetshire, September 12, 1892. The specimen shown on Plate [31], Fig. 1, is from Saxony.
In a general way this species is not unlike (C. nupta), but the fore wings are smoother looking, of a softer grey coloration, and the black cross lines are more irregular; the black markings on the crimson hind wings are similar, but the inner edge of the marginal border is more even.
This Central European species ranges to Amurland and Corea, and is represented in Japan by a larger form, zalmunna, Butler.
The Red Underwing (Catocala nupta).
Fig. 3.
Red Underwing at rest.
Photo by H. Main.