Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

26 April 2005  11:49PM EST  (top left)
28 April 2005  (moth captured on 26 April 2005) (top right, bottom left and right)
All photographs are of the same specimen.

Lithophane thaxteri is one of over 20 species of Lithophane that have been recorded from the Ottawa area (J.D. Lafontaine, pers.comm., 2001).  My thanks to J.T. Troubridge of Agriculture Canada for confirming the identification of this specimen, which has been given to the Canadian National Collection in Ottawa.

Lithophane thaxteri has a light to medium gray forewing with very well defined markings.  The antemedial and postmedial lines are most recognizable near the inner margin as pale gray zigzag lines.  In the basal area, there is a strong black dash, bordered above with white, and with a hint of orange brown below.  There is also a strong black dash in the median area.  The lower ends of the orbicular and reniform spots are marked with black curved lines, with an edging of white above.  In several areas there are shades of soft orange brown, especially in the area between the orbicular and reniform spots and extending into the middle of the reniform spot.  The faint subterminal line curves inward near the midpoint of the wing to form two sharp inward points emphasized with dark gray to black.  The underside is surprisingly brownish, and the ventral side of the abdomen has quite an orange color (bottom right photo).  The hindwing is gray-brown with pale fringe.  The clarity and coloration of the contrasting markings make this a very recognizable species of Lithophane, difficult to confuse with other species that occur in my area.

The larvae of Lithophane thaxteri feed on New Jersey tea and blueberry, and have also been reported to feed on a variety of other woody plants and trees (Handfield, 1999).  According to Handfield, this species overwinters as an adult, with flight seasons in my general area from mid-April to late May, and from late August to early November.

My sole record to date for Lithophane thaxteri (each date representing "the night of") is in the table below: