Scientific name: Lithophane atara (J.B. Smith)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae

Distribution

British Columbia
Manitoba
Ontario

This species occurs throughout the range of the principal host in the southern interior of British Columbia; it also occurs in Manitoba and western Ontario.

Damage, symptoms and biology

Lithophane atara is a relatively uncommon innocuous solitary defoliator.

Mature larva to 38 mm long. Head, green unmarked. Body, green with prominent white subdorsal and lateral stripes. Reddish infuscation immediately behind head on dorsum of first thoracic segment.

This species overwinters in the adult stage. Larvae are present late May to June; pupation occurs in July and adults emerge August to September.

Canadian Forest Service Publications

Diet and feeding behaviour

Phyllophagous: Feeds on the leaves of plants.
- Free-living defoliator: Feeds on and moves about freely on foliage.

Information on host(s)

Main host(s)

Photos

Dion Manastyrski Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

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