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Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada
8 June 2004 12:44AM EST
My initial identification of Synclita obliteralis was
based on Munroe, E., The
Moths of North America North of Mexico, Fascicle 13.1, Pyraloidea Pyralidae
(Part) (London: E.W. Classey, 1972-1974). I have also relied on the Canadian National Collection in
Ottawa and on Forbes, William T.M., The Lepidoptera of New York and
Neighboring States, Primitive Forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces
(Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, 1923).
Synclita obliteralis has a brownish forewing, patterned
with areas of dark gray-brown, orange-brown, black and white. Near the
base of the forewing there is a somewhat irregular dark brown to blackish line
bordered with near white along its outer edge. In the middle of the wing there
is a lunule or band of dark brown to black band extending upward from the inner
margin; along its outer edge near the inner margin, there is some jagged white
edging. At the costa, just beyond the midpoint, there is a patch of white
extending outward and downward, with dark brown to black beyond it, sometimes
extending to the apex. Much of the rest of the outer half of the wing is
light brown to orange brown in color, with a dark shade in the vicinity of the
anal angle. The outer margin is white with a dashed black line. The
hindwing is dark brown with some paler lines.
Munroe (1972) notes that Synclita obliteralis exhibits
sexual dimorphism. The male is smaller, with somewhat broader forewings;
the length of the forewing is 5 to 6 mm. The female is somewhat larger and
paler, with fainter or more obscure markings; the length of the forewing ranges
from 7 to 9 mm.
According to Munroe (1972) and Covell (1984), the larvae of Synclita
obliteralis have been reported to feed on a variety of aquatic plants,
including waterlilies, floating pondweed and duckweed. The larva makes a case
out of plant parts, and sometimes becomes a pest of ornamental aquatic plants in
greenhouses.
My records to date for Synclita obliteralis (each date
representing "the night of") are in the table below: |
