Species Eupithecia strattonata - Hodges#7523

7523

wingspan about 17 mm, based on two Internet images

Adult: forewing dull rusty or reddish-brown beyond PM line and in basal area; median area less so, slightly more grayish; discal spot black, distinct; PM line composed of short dark streaks along veins; subterminal line toothed, faint, with whitish dots at points of teeth, and jog in line near costa; several dark patches along basal two-thirds of costa, and short dark transverse lines along inner margin; fringe grayish with some dark and pale scales; hindwing similar but slightly paler basally, with small faint discal dot

Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to Ontario, plus adjacent northeastern states

damp fields and open places, abandoned pastures, around marshes, bogs, or any flat wet area [Handfield, 1999]; adults are nocturnal and come to light

adults fly in June and July

larvae feed on alder and Spiraea, and one individual was discovered and reared on the fruit of Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra) [Handfield, 1999]

The few other Eupithecia species that have reddish color in their forewings are marked differently than described above (see numerous images of other species at CBIF and MPG)

Handfield, Louis. 1999. Les Guides des Papillons du Quebec. Broquet. 662 pp. [text, p. 252; image of male and female, plate 45]

pinned adult image (CBIF)

pinned adult image and photos of related species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)

distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)

presence in Nova Scotia; PDF doc plus foodplant and drawing of pupa (Frederick Rindge, Taxonomic and Life History Notes on North American Eupithecia, American Museum of Natural History)

presence in New York; list (Timothy McCabe, Olive Natural Heritage Society, New York)

flight season (Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada)

abundance of specimens caught in light traps in New Brunswick, compared with other geometrids (Canadian Forest Service, U. of New Brunswick)