Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

18 June 2003   12:38AM EDT  (top left)
18 June 2003   12:37AM EDT  (top right)
18 June 2003   10:22 PM EDT  (bottom)
The top left and top right photos are of the same specimen.

Callopistria cordata, also known as the Silver-Spotted Fern Moth, is a smallish noctuid, with a wingspan from 2.5 to 2.8 cm (Covell, 1983).  It is easily recognized by its pattern of silvery white spots on an orange-rust background.  The forewing is mottled orange to rust in color.  The antemedial and postmedial lines are visible as chains of silver spots.  One of the spots in the am line is much larger than the others, and there is another roundish silver spot of similar size in the median.  There is a patch of pale yellowish tan at the apex.  The hindwing is pale grayish brown.  

The larvae of Callopistria cordata feed on ferns (Covell, 1983).  Handfield (1999) indicates a flight season for the adult moth from early June through early August for my general area.

I have photographed this species in 2001 on 27 June; in 2002, on 26 and 30 June; in 2003, on 18 and 24 June, and on 6 August.