Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

28 September 2005   (date of moth capture)  (top left)
3 October 2005   6:42PM EST  (top right)
28 September 2005   (date of moth capture)  (center)
28 September 2005   (date of moth capture)  (bottom left)
5 October 2005   10:11PM EST  (bottom right)
The photos at top left, center and bottom right are all of the same specimen.

Helicoverpa zea has a yellowish tan forewing, variably tinged with reddish brown, olive green or grayish shading.  Brownish to grayish basal, antemedial, medial, postmedial and subterminal lines are evident to varying degrees, but the basal and antemedial lines are often quite faint, as are the outlines of the orbicular and reniform spots.  A dark dot may be evident in the center of the orbicular spot, and a blotch of grayish filling is usually evident in the reniform spot.  The area between the postmedial and subterminal lines is typically more heavily shaded than the rest of the forewing, with a darker mark at the costa.  The fringe is medium grayish or reddish brown.  The hindwing is pale yellowish white, with a fairly dark gray-brown band along the outer margin, marked with a whitish spot near the midpoint of the outer margin.  The veins of the hindwing may also be marked with gray-brown.  Covell (1984) indicates a wingspan of 3.2 to 4.5 cm for this species.

The larva of Helicoverpa zea is commonly known as the Corn Earworm, and is a major pest of corn, cotton, tomato and tobacco in North America (Covell, 1984), as well as feeding on a considerable variety of other plants.  According to Handfield (1999), there are two waves of migration into my general area from the south, with the first wave of migrators arriving early enough to produce a local generation as well.  Handfield indicates a flight season from the beginning of June to the beginning of July for the first migrators, and a flight season from early August nearly to mid-October for the second wave of migrators and the local generation.

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