Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

13 June 2005   10:20PM EST  (left)
7 June 2005   9:24PM EST  (right)

My identification of Sitochroa chortalis was based on Munroe, E., in Dominick, R.B. et al., The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 13.2A, Pyraloidea Pyralidae (Part) (London: E.W. Classey, 1976), 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).

Sitochroa chortalis has very pale yellowish or grayish buff forewings, with greenish gray markings.  There is some gray shading in the basal and medial areas, and a grayish streak along the inner 2/3 of the costa.  The somewhat sinuous antemedial line is clearest near the inner margin.  The area from the postmedial line to the outer margin is crossed by a double gray line, filled with the ground color and sharply toothed, sometimes with additional gray shading along the outer edge.  The veins are traced in gray also, adding to the complexity of the pattern. The gray terminal line is continuous, preceding a pale fringe.  The hindwing is whitish, with a faint incomplete grayish postmedial line, a zigzag subterminal line and a continuous terminal line preceding a pale fringe.  Forbes (1923) indicates a wingspan of 25 mm.

According to Munroe (1976), the larva of Sitochroa chortalis feeds on pigweed and probably other low plants as well.  He indicates two generations per year for Ontario, with adult flight seasons from late May to early July, and again in August.

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