Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

22 May 2003  10:58PM EDT

Balsa labecula, sometimes called the White-Blotched Balsa, is one of three species of Balsa known to occur in the Ottawa area.

The forewing of Balsa labecula is light gray, with two pale whitish round patches in the median, the outer patch larger than the inner patch.  The antemedial line is distinct, and the basal area is darker gray.  At the costal edge, in the vicinity of the postmedial line, one can observe two blackish lines angling towards the outer margin, almost completely enclosing a patch of darker gray.  The subterminal area has a gray shade outside the pm line near the costal edge, but this shade does not extend to the apex.

The host plant for Balsa labecula is apparently not known.  Handfield (1999) indicates a flight season for the adult in my general area from mid-May to mid-July.  I have, however, photographed this moth on one occasion in August. 

I have photographed this species in 2001, on 11 May, and on 11 and 22 June; in 2002, on 22 June; in 2003, on 7, 13, 17 and 22 June, and on 10 August.