Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

12 July 2004   10:01PM EST  (top left)
16 August 2005   1:14AM EST  (top right)
3 August 2004   11:39PM EST  (bottom left)
13 August 2004   12:11AM EST  (bottom right)

Feltia jaculifera, the Dingy Cutworm Moth, is one of three species of Feltia occurring in the Ottawa area; a fourth species, Feltia subgothica, was formerly recorded from Ottawa, but the very similar Feltia tricosa (Hodges 10675) seems now to have extended its range and become the more prevalent species in our area (J. D. Lafontaine, pers. comm., 2001; Handfield, 1999).

Covell (1984) describes the forewing of Feltia jaculifera as being of a dirty whitish color with gray and blackish shading.  When I look at it, however, the inverse description comes to mind: a predominantly black forewing, frosted with white, gray and tan streaks and shades. Two sets of streaks extend from a point at the base outward to skim the upper and lower ends of the reniform spot.  The uppermost streak, closer to the costa, terminates at the costa shortly before the apex; the lower streak branches before reaching the lower end of the reniform spot, with the lower branch meeting a pale gray and brown streak that extends along the inner margin from base to anal angle.  At the lower end of the reniform spot, there are usually two highly visible double streaks that stop just short of the outer margin a short distance above the anal angle.  The orbicular spot is represented as a rounded triangle extending down from the pale costal streak.  The reniform spot is pale beige to brown with a paler outline.  The curved postmedial line is often followed by pale streaks or shading, with patches of black along the outer margin.  There is also a dark patch in the subterminal area near the apex of the forewing.  The hindwing is whitish, with some gray-brown shading, a dark terminal line and pale fringe.  The thorax and tegulae are various shades of gray-brown, with the tegulae usually paler and appearing whitish in some lighting conditions.  Covell (1984) indicates a wingspan ranging from 3 to 4 cm.

Feltia jaculifera has some similarities to other Feltia species occurring at my location, but overall exhibits a more delicate and complex pattern with high contrast and clear boundaries between most of the dark and light areas.  When I first encountered this genus, I found it very confusing to differentiate the three species.  Now that I am more familiar with these moths, I look first for the clear double prong springing outward from the lower end of the reniform spot in Feltia jaculifera, for the pale merged streak extending along the inner margin right through the postmedial line to the anal angle in Feltia tricosa (Hodges 10675), and for an abrupt end to the prominent pale streak at the postmedial line in Feltia herilis (Hodges 10676)

According to Handfield (1999), the larva of Feltia jaculifera, the Dingy Cutworm, feeds on plants cultivated in market gardens, tobacco, bluegrass, cereal rye, and other crops, as well as a variety of non-cultivated plants. He indicates an adult flight season from the the second week of July into early September for my general area.

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