Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

8 August 2005   9:52PM EST  (top left)
30 July 2005   (date of moth capture)  (top right)
4/5 August 2005   (date of moth capture)  (bottom)

My thanks to Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada for identifying the specimen illustrated at right above, and confirming my identification of the specimen illustrated at bottom, which were collected and given to the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa.

Brachylomia algens is one of a number of dark gray and brown species of noctuid that I find difficult to recognize until I've seen enough specimens to become a little more familiar with their subtle differences.  The forewing of Brachylomia algens is predominantly dark gray, and the black antemedial and postmedial lines may be difficult to see against the ground color.  A darker gray shade crosses the median between the orbicular and reniform spots, which usually have some degree pale outline or filling inside the fine black lines that define them.  The pale subterminal line is somewhat irregular, and may be preceded by a brownish shade.  There may also be some hints of brown in the reniform spot and in the basal area.  There is a short, sharp, black basal dash below a slightly paler patch at the basal end of the costa.  The end of the subterminal line near the anal angle may be slightly accentuated with black, but this is not always evident in the specimens I have photographed.  The hindwing is grayish.

According to Handfield (1999) and Rings et al. (1992), the larvae of Brachylomia algens feed on willow, although poplar has also been suggested as a possible host plant.  For my general area, Handfield indicates an adult flight season from about the end of July to early September.

My records to date for Brachylomia algens (each date representing "the night of") are in the table below: