Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

11 May 2004   12:03AM EDT  (top left)
18 May 2004   12:37AM EDT  (top right)
13 May 2004   12:28AM EDT  (bottom)

My thanks to Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada for his assistance with identifying this species.

Nola ovilla is one of three species of Nola recorded from the Ottawa area, two of which are illustrated on this web site.

The forewing of Nola ovilla is light gray and somewhat blotchy.  There are three light gray protruding scale tufts in a row near the costa in the basal and median areas, the outermost of which marks the location of the reniform spot.  The antemedial line is dark brownish gray and usually complete, with a sharp, darker outward-pointing angle near the costa.  The postmedial line is fairly broad and double, filled with grayish brown.  There is a dark gray marking at the costa at the end of the pm line.  The subterminal line is indistinct, with some gray brown shading on either side of it.  The hindwing is whitish with slight gray-brown shading.  The moth is about the same size as or slightly smaller than Nola cilicoides (Hodges 8990).

According to Handfield (1999), the larvae of Nola ovilla feed on oak.  Handfield indicates an adult flight season from early May into the second half of June for my general area.

I have recorded this species in 2001, on 3 and 11 May; in 2002, on 9, 23, 25 and 27 May; in 2003, on 14, 15, 16, 18 and 30 May, and on 5 June; in 2004, on 6, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 31 May.