per Lindroth 1968: 806 unless one examines details of the male median lobe (phallic apex and/or structures of the internal sac). Having freshly studied examples before me, I so far find that the external differences suggested by Lindroth (1968) & Noonan (1991) are too variable to be reliable. Quicker than comparing structures of the prepared internal sac (Lindroth Fig405/p804) is to simply compare the phallic apex (Lindroth Fig407/p807) which is often seen protruding from the abdominal aperture. Tim's image presented here could have just as easily fit H. opacipennis which is sympatric with H. ellipsis in Alberta. Females can't be reliably distinguished without associated males. I am curious as to Tim's criteria for ellipsis in this case.