Catocala louiseae, or Louise's underwing, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species is endemic to the United States. The epithet, louiseae, is in honor of "the late Louise (Mrs. E.P.) Mellon" who funded the Carnegie Museum of Natural History expedition on which the type specimen was collected. The species was described by John Bauer in 1965. (Catocala louiseae, new species).
Distribution C. louiseae is found in the United States from North Carolina south to Florida and west through Alabama to Texas. However, the westernmost records (west of Alabama) probably represent Catocala bastropi that was only described in 2017.
Description The wingspan of C. louiseae is about .
Life cycle Adults of C. louiseae are on wing in May, sometimes into June. The larvae feed on Vaccinium arboreum and probably other blueberries, at least Vaccinium stamineum.
Taxonomy Catocala louiseae is given precedence per Article 23.9.2 as a nomen protectum over its disused senior subjective synonym Catocala protonympha , which becomes a nomen oblitum.Gall LF, Hawks DC (2001). "Precedence of Catocala louiseae Bauer, 1965 as a nomen protectum over Catocala protonympha Boisduval, 1840 (Noctuidae)". Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 55 (4): 171–174. Full article: .
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