Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

30 May 2003   10:27PM EST  (left)
2 June 2004   8:39PM EST  (center)
21 June 2004   7:41PM EST  (right)

Ancylis divisana is one of 22 species of Ancylis recorded from the Ottawa area (J. D. Lafontaine, pers. comm., 2001).  My initial identification of Ancylis divisana was based on Internet resources.  My thanks to Dr. Jean-François Landry of Agriculture Canada for confirming the identity of several specimens, including the specimen at center above, which was given to the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa.  This specimen was also included in the All Leps Barcode of Life project of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario at the University of Guelph.  Some additional information was obtained from Internet resources and from Forbes, William T.M., The Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States, Primitive Forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, 1923).

The forewing of Ancylis divisana is deep reddish brown in the basal area, shading into dark violet gray at the costa.  A broad violet gray median fascia begins at the costa, crossing the extension of the reddish brown color outward along the costa, and taking on a yellowish cast where it widens towards the inner margin.  The outer half of the forewing is mainly golden yellow, somewhat orange in tone.  There are fine striae of gray along the outer half of the costa, lightening to white just before the finger-shaped orange-rust apex.   Forbes (1923) indicates a wingspan of 12 to 15 mm.

According to Forbes (1923), the larva of Ancylis divisana is a leaf-roller on oak and sycamore.  He indicates the adult moth flies in May, but my observations suggest a flight season of late May through most of June for my location.

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