Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

7 June 2005   11:42PM EST  (left)
10 July 2005   12:22AM EST  (right)

Lithacodia albidula is a species that can be difficult to identify, thanks to its tendency to shed its scales easily and become a plain, pale ghost of itself fairly soon after emergence.  My thanks to Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada for helping me to identify the first nondescript specimens of this species that I encountered.

The forewings of Lithacodia albidula are pale yellowish tan in color, with darker mottling and shading.  Antemedial and postmedial lines are creamy white, bounded by tan along the edge next to the median.  The reniform spot is outlined in white.  The subterminal line is whitish, preceded by a yellowish tan shade slightly darker than the ground color of the wing.  The hindwings are pale yellowish tan.  Unless the specimen is very fresh and unworn, the forewing may appear very pale and yellowish, with no obvious markings.  I estimate the wingspan to be about 2 cm or slightly more.

According to Handfield (1999), the larvae of Lithacodia albidula feed on grasses. He indicates an adult flight season from the end of May into early August for my general area.

My records to date for Lithacodia albidula (each date representing "the night of") are in the table below: