Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

15 May 2003  9:39PM EDT

Balsa malana is one of three species of Balsa known to occur in the Ottawa area.

The forewing of Balsa malana is gray, darker in the median, but paler in the basal and subterminal areas and along the costal edge.  The antemedial line is visible as a broad zig-zag across the wing.  The double postmedial line is distinct only at the costal edge, with the inner part of the double line longer than the outer part, giving the impression of a letter "y" (note upper wing in photo above).  The darker gray median area has a lighter spot near the lighter area at the costa.  The subterminal area shows faint, fine dark lines at the veins and is also partially crossed by a zig-zag line.

The larvae of Balsa malana, known as the Many-Dotted Appleworm, feeds on the leaves of apple, cherry, elm, pear and plum (Covell, 1983).  Handfield (1999) indicates two generations per year in my general area, with adult flight seasons from early June to early July, and from mid-July to late August.  My observations in 2003 therefore seem to be unusually early, but I must also note that this is also a species I seldom have seen at my location, so that I have little data on which to base any generalizations. 

I have photographed this species in 2003, on 15, 19 and 20 May.