Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

25 July 2003  (specimen captured 14 July 2003)

Apamea alia is one of about 20 species of Apamea known to occur in the Ottawa area.  My thanks to Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada for confirming this identification.

The forewing of Apamea alia is grayish beige, shaded with reddish brown towards the costa.  The antemedial and postmedial lines are inconspicuous, but usually at least partly visible; the pm line is evident as a fine dark gray line followed by a row of dark dots at the veins.  The orbicular spot does not stand out much against the background, but the dark gray filling of the reniform spot makes it very obvious.  There is some shading in the subterminal area, and a dark spot near the anal angle; given the slightly worn condition of the specimen photographed above, only a trace of the dark spot is visible.  The hindwing is beige, heavily shaded with grayish brown towards the outer margin.

The larvae of Apamea alia feed on grasses (Handfield, 1999).  Handfield indicates an adult flight season from the beginning of June to early August for my general area.

I have photographed this species only once, in 2003, on 14(25) July.