Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

2 July 2003   1:12AM EST

My identification of this species is based on comparison of my photos with specimens in the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa, to which access was kindly arranged by Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada.  Lacking other resources for identification, my identification is therefore tentative pending expert confirmation based on the collected specimen shown above.

Sparganothis albicaudana is one of about 15 species of Sparganothis known to occur in the Ottawa area.  The forewing is a pale yellowish tan in color.  There is a gray-brown mark, approximately triangular in shape, at the inner margin slightly above the anal angle.  When the wings are closed in the rest position, these marks form a small shield shape in the centre of the back.  The postmedial line is also gray-brown, and a subterminal line is usually faintly visible.  The fringe is gray-brown.  I have not measured the forewing, but estimate its length at less than 10 mm.

I have no information on the larval host plant or life cycle for this species.

I have photographed this species in 2000, on 5 July; in 2002, on 7 and 10 July; in 2003, on 2, 9 and 11 July.