White Spotted Sable Moth

Never common, but probably of no concern.

June to mid July.

Holarctic, the North American species being Anania funebris glomeralis (Wlk.). Across Canada, north to Fort Smith and Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories, south to North Carolina and Coloradi (Munroe 1976). Listed in Alberta from Areas 6-8, 10, 18 and 20 by Bowman (1951) as Pyrausta funebris.

An easily recognized, diurnal, black and white micromoth. It has a wingspan of 20-21 mm, two large, white spots on each wing and an abdomen with white stripes. It also has a small white patch above the large, white patches on the forewings. Quite similar to the macromoth Alypia langtoni, The Eight-spotted Forester, which, however, is larger (wingspan 30 mm), has larger yellow patches (tegulae) on the thorax beside the wings, lacks the small patch on the forewings and the white stripes on the abdomen, and whose larvae feed on Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium).

Clearings in wooded areas, especially those with Populus tremuloides.

Larva light yellow-green, with yellowish head; living on the underside of the basal leaves of Solidago (Forbes 1923). Adults are diurnal.

Goldenrod (Solidago) (Forbes 1923).