Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

26 July 2002   9:02PM EST  (right and left)

Both photographs are of the same specimen, taken less than a minute apart.

Schizura concinna is 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.

I would describe the ground color of the forewing as yellowish overall, becoming somewhat grayish toward the costa, and overlain with pink toward the inner margin, where the pink actually becomes a grayish red.  Lines and reniform spot are largely undefined.  With a little help from your imagination, it might be possible to make out a tiny discal dot.  Covell (1984) refers to a fine black basal dash, which is barely visible in the photos above.  He also notes two lengthwise black dashes at the apex, which are clearly visible in the photo above left.

It should be noted that this is not the only local Notodontid species with reddish coloration washed across the wing, but its smaller size and other characteristics should make Schizura concinna fairly easy to distinguish from the "Red-Washed Prominent," Oligocentria semirufescens (8012), which is also illustrated on this web site.

At rest, Schizura concinna holds its wings in a "tent" position, partly rolled around its body like many other Notodontids.

Covell gives the common name Red-Humped Caterpillar Moth to this species, from the appearance of the larva.  The larvae feed on apples, willow, poplar, birch, elm and a range of other deciduous trees and shrubs.  Both Covell and Handfield (1999) suggest that the adult moth is much less often seen or collected from the wild than the caterpillar.  In my general area, Handfield indicates a flight season through the month of July.

To date I have photographed this species on only one occasion, in 2002 on 26 July.