Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

24 April 2004   (specimen captured 23 April 2004)  (top)
30 March 2005   9:25PM EST (bottom)

Lithophane innominata is one of over 20 species of Lithophane that have been recorded from the Ottawa area (J.D. Lafontaine, pers.comm., 2001).  My thanks to Dr. J.D. Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada for confirming the identification of the specimen above at top.

Lithophane innominata has an overall pale yellowish tan forewing.  The antemedial and postmedial lines are barely distinguishable, marked mainly by pairs of black dots preceding the am and following the pm line; towards the inner margin, however, it is possible to see the faint very pale tan zigzag of these two lines.  The orbicular and reniform spots are similarly difficult to distinguish from the background color, with their slightly paler outlines, although there is a brownish shade separating the two spots.  In the median, below the reniform spot, there is a darker brown blotch.  Hints of brownish shading just inside the subterminal line serve to define it.  In the terminal area, outside the subterminal line, there are two darker brown blotches, one at the inner angle, and one midway along the outer margin.  According to Covell (1983), the wingspan ranges between 3.5 and 3.9 cm.

The larvae of Lithophane innominata feed on a wide variety of trees and shrubs, especially alder, but also maple, willow, poplar and several evergreen species, among others (Covell, 1983; Handfield, 1999).  According to Handfield, this species overwinters as an adult, with flight seasons in my general area from mid-April to early June, and from early September to late October. 

I have recorded this species at my location only twice to date, in 2004 on 23 April; in 2005, on 30 March.