Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

15 June 2001  12:46AM EDT

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

From what I have been able to find on the Internet and in my small collection of reference works, Hypena atomaria appears to be rarely recorded, at least in northeastern North America.  Regrettably, the two specimens I have photographed were not collected, and the identifications were made more than a year later.  When I tentatively recognized the photograph above as Hypena atomaria, knowing that this species had not been recorded from the Ottawa area as of about 1998, I sent it to Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada, who kindly confirmed the identification and noted that this likely represented the first eastern Ontario record for the species.  I subsequently reviewed my remaining "unknown" photos from 2001, and found a second photograph of the same species from August 2001.  Despite my keeping watch, I have not yet encountered Hypena atomaria again.

In appearance, Hypena atomaria looks quite different from the other Hypena (Bomolocha) species illustrated on this site, and bears more resemblance to some of the Herminiinae.  The forewing is a light grayish yellowish color.  The antemedial line is light brown and contrasts little with the adjacent basal and median areas.  The median area is shaded darker brown just inside the smooth, nearly straight postmedial line.  The subterminal line is straight and marked with dark dots for about half of its length down from the costa, and has brownish shading to the inside. The hindwing is pale yellow.  I estimate its wingspan between about 2.5 and 3 cm. 

The larval host plant for Hypena atomaria is unknown.  Handfield (1999) suggests an adult flight season from early June to mid-July for my general area, but appears to have insufficient data on which to postulate a second generation.

I have recorded this species only twice, both times in 2001, on 14/15 June, and on 17 August.