Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

4 August 2002   12:05AM EST  (left)
4 August 2002   12:06AM EST  (right)

Both photographs are of the same specimen.

Datana perspicua is one of several similar species of Datana that occur in my area.  Like many other species of Notodontidae, it tends to roll its wings around its body or arch them over its body in a roof shape when at rest, as in the righthand photo above.  According to Handfield (1999) and Covell (1984), Datana perspicua can be distinguished by its pale yellowish forewing with its conspicuous brown orbicular and reniform spots, likely the reason for giving it the common name of Spotted Datana.  The lines crossing the forewing are quite sharply defined and reddish brown in color.

The larva of Datana perspicua feeds on sumac.

The Ottawa area may be at or near the northern limit of this species' range, and I have only seen or photographed Datana perspicua once to date, in 2002 on 4 August.