Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

3 June 2001   9:25PM EST  (top left)
21 May 2001   11:24PM EST  (top center)
21 May 2001   11:23PM EST  (top right)
29 May 2002   10:26PM EST  (bottom left)
31 July 2002   11:57PM EST  (bottom center)
16 July 2002   10:51PM EST  (bottom right)

Schizura unicornis seems to be locally the most common one of about half a dozen species of Schizura that may occur in my general area, most of which are illustrated on this web site.

Covell (1984) describes the forewing as dark gray, variably shaded and marked with yellowish, rose and brown, especially towards the costa and beyond the postmedial line.  He also states the basal area is green fading to whitish, but it looks more gray tinged with rose in most of the photos above.  The basal area is bounded by a double black antemedial line.  In most of the specimens I have photographed, the reniform spot is marked by a black line followed by a near-black shade inside the postmedial line.  There is a small black patch at the costal edge near the apex.  A short white dash extending from a black spot is usually evident in the terminal area near the anal angle.  The hindwing is dirty grayish white in those specimens where it has been visible in my photographs.

At rest, Schizura unicornis usually holds its wings in a "tent" position, sometimes partly rolled around its body.  It often rests head down.

The larvae of Schizura unicornis feed on birch and willow, and a wide variety of other deciduous trees and shrubs including cherries and roses.  Covell (1984) has called this moth the Unicorn Caterpillar Moth, from the appearance of the larva.  According to Handfield (1999), the flight season in my general area is from mid-May into the second half of August.

I have photographed this species in 2001, on 21 May, on 3 and 29 June, on 9 and 21 July, and on 1 and 2 August; in 2002, on 29 May, on 19, 20 and 26 June, on 6, 13, 16, 30 and 31 July, and on 1 August.