Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

22 June 2003   10:01PM EST  (top)
23 June 2005   11:45PM EST  (center left)
23 June 2005   11:42PM EST  (center right)
14 July 2004   9:07PM EST  (bottom)
The two photos at center left and right are of the same specimen.

My original identification of Nymphula ekthlipsis, which has sometimes been identified with the name Elophila ekthlipsis, was based on comparison with specimens in the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa, and on the descriptions in  Munroe, E., The Moths of North America North of Mexico, Fascicle 13.1, Pyraloidea Pyralidae (Part) (London: E.W. Classey, 1972-1974) and in Forbes, William T.M., The Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States, Primitive Forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, 1923). 

Nymphula ekthlipsis has boldly patterned wings, with bands of yellow bordered with dark gray-brown contrasting sharply with the white ground color.  The cream-colored abdomen is striped with dark gray brown.   The pattern on the hindwing is similar to that of the forewing, but without as much yellow banding near the base of the wing.  Overall, this moth has a delicate and somewhat luminous appearance.  According to Munroe, the length of the forewing is from 11 to 13 mm.

Little appears to be known about the life cycle of Nymphula ekthlipsis, but Forbes (1923) indicates that the larva lives in an oblong case on sedges.

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