Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

17 June 2003   10:46PM EDT  (left)
2 August 2002  11:21PM EDT  (right)

My thanks to J. T. Troubridge of Agriculture Canada for confirming my identification of the specimen at left above, which was given to the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa.

Hypena madefactalis is one of about 10 species of Hypena recorded from the Ottawa area.

The forewing of Hypena madefactalis is grayish to blackish brown, in the male, and light grayish brown with pinkish gray in the basal and subterminal areas in the female (Covell, 1983).  The antemedial line is dark brown with pronounced zigzags, but sometimes hard to see in dark specimens.  The median is the darkest part of the forewing, shaded darkest just inside the postmedial line (see specimen at right above).  A black dot marks the location of the orbicular spot.  The postmedial line is somewhat wavy, and followed by a band of pinkish gray-brown in the specimens illustrated here.  The subterminal line is noticeable mainly for the color change, with the terminal area being brown, sometimes showing a lighter apical patch with darker shading along the central area of the outer margin.  The hindwing is brown.  Covell indicates a wingspan ranging from 2.5 to 3.2 cm.

The larvae of Hypena madefactalis feed on walnut (Juglans) (Covell, 1983), of which butternut (Juglans cinerea) is the only species occurring at my location.  Handfield (1999) indicates an adult flight season from early June into the second half of July for my general area, but also notes several records from August.

I have recorded this species in 2002, on 2 August; in 2003, on 17 June and on 20 July.