Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

17 May 2003   10:59PM EST

My thanks to Dr. J.T. Troubridge of Agriculture Canada for confirming the identification of the actual specimen pictured above.

Lithophane disposita is one of over 20 species of Lithophane that have been recorded from the Ottawa area (J.D. Lafontaine, pers.comm., 2001).

Lithophane disposita is overall a pale tan in color, with grayish overtones.  The antemedial and postmedial lines are virtually unrecognizable, marked for the most part with a few darker dots on the veins.  Near the inner margin, however, there are rounded V-shapes extending outward from the am line and inward from the pm line, with paler filling.  The orbicular and reniform spots are clearly outlined in white, with light gray-brown filling. There is some darker grayish shading between the two spots.  Where visible, the subterminal line is pale, with dark brownish shades outside it near the anal angle and again a little more than halfway toward the apex.  The hindwing is mainly darkish, grayish tan in color.

The larvae of Lithophane disposita feed on willow, elm and chokecherry.  According to Handfield (1999), this species overwinters as an adult, with flight seasons from early April to late May, and from early September to about a week after mid-October.

I have photographed this species in 2001, on 19 and 20 April, and on 6 May; in 2003, on 10 April and on 17 May.