Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

15 August 2005   7:18PM EST  (top left and right)
31 July 2005   8:40PM EST  (bottom left)
8 August 2003   7:38PM EST  (bottom right)
The first two photos are of the same specimen.

My initial identification of Evora hemidesma, also known as the Spiraea Leaftier, was based on Internet resources, and the identity of a collected specimen was subsequently confirmed by Dr. Jean-François Landry of Agriculture Canada, to whom my thanks.   Additional information has been found in Forbes, William T.M., The Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States, Primitive Forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, 1923).

Evora hemidesma has a forewing of a rich, deep red-brown color, said by Forbes (1923) to have a slight pink iridescence.  There is a partial oblique antemedial band of dark brown evident at the inner margin, and a dark brown band completely crossing the wing in the medial area; these bands are at least partly edged with a narrow line of tan above the inner margin.  A narrow tan line extends lengthwise from the base of the wing to a point on the inner margin near the anal angle.  There is a bright reddish-brown tuft at the posteial end of the thorax.  The hindwing is grayish brown.  Forbes (1923) indicates a wingspan of 16 mm.

According to Forbes (1923), the larva of Evora hemidesma makes webs in the leaves and flower heads of spiraea.  He indicates the adult flight season as July; my records suggest a longer flight season, from at least mid-June to mid-August.

My records to date for Evora hemidesma (each date representing "the night of") are in the table below: