Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

1 August 2005   9:47PM EST  (top)
1 August 2004   10:11PM EST  (center row, left)
25 July 2005   8:29PM EST  (center row, center)
5 June 2005   9:51PM EST  (center row, right)
1 June 2005   10:44PM EST  (bottom row, left)
6 June 2004   8:39PM EST  (bottom row, center)
7 June 2005   8:23PM EST  (bottom row, right)

Parapoynx maculalis is one of four species of Parapoynx recorded from the Ottawa area (J.D. Lafontaine, pers. comm., 2001), all of which are illustrated on this web site. My initial identification of Parapoynx maculalis was based on Munroe, E., The Moths of North America North of Mexico, Fascicle 13.1, Pyraloidea Pyralidae (Part) (London: E.W. Classey, 1972-1974) and specimens in the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa.

Parapoynx maculalis exhibits sexual dimorphism, the male exhibiting patterned forewings, whereas the female usually has a uniformly dark forewing.

The forewing of the male Parapoynx maculalis is normally white, with somewhat diffuse gray-brown lines and patches, and with gray-brown shading along the inner margin.  There is considerable variation in the extent of the dark markings, and in some specimens, there is so much gray-brown that the white is reduced to a few patches.  Many specimens also have a patch of orange-brown, typically near the center at about 2/3 the length of the forewing. Gray-brown subterminal and terminal lines are usually evident.  The hindwing is white, with a faint fine dark line close to the outer margin and traces of heavier gray lines usually strongest at the inner margin.  Munroe (1972) indicates a forewing length of 7 to 11 mm for the male.

The female Parapoynx maculalis is generally very dark gray-brown with minimal evidence of pattern.  The hindwing is white, sometimes with a trace of a fine dark line close to the outer margin.  The female is larger than the male, with a forewing length from 9 to 13 mm (Munroe, 1972).

Munroe (1972) cites a number of studies of the life history of Parapoynx maculalis, from which it is known that the main host plant is waterlily, usually the yellow waterlily (Nuphar species).

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