Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

7 July 2004   (date of moth capture)  (top)
7 July 2005   (date of moth capture)  (bottom)

Pyrrhia exprimens, also known as the Purple-Lined Sallow, is one of two species of Pyrrhia known to occur in the Ottawa area (J. D. Lafontaine, pers. comm., 2001).

The forewing of Pyrrhia exprimens is predominantly orange, overlain with shades of purplish brown, and generally appearing smooth.  The basal, antemedial and postmedial lines are purplish brown, as are the outlines of the orbicular, claviform and reniform spots.  In the median, a dark purplish medial line is angled sharply outward beyond the orbicular spot, followed by a purple-brown shade.  There is also dark purple-brown shading between the postmedial line and a scalloped subterminal line, most pronounced in the top photo above.  The hindwing is yellowish, with a dark shade along the outer margin.

According to Handfield (1999), the larvae of Pyrrhia exprimens have been reported to feed on a wide variety of plants, including trees, shrubs and herbaceous flowering plants. He indicates an adult flight season from near the end of May to late July for my general area.

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