Common NameGrote's SallowSeasonalityAdults in Alberta September - (hibernates) - April.IdentificationA medium-size (4.2-5.0 cm wingspan) long-winged dull grey moth. The black basal dash is short and inconspicuous, and there is light grey shading along the basal part of the costa. The doubled black antemedian line is jagged and linked on the lower half to the black-outlined claviform spot. The pale orbicular spot stands out against the ground, and has a small satellite spot at the lower margin. The hourglass-shaped reniform is outlined in black, filled with pale grey, and there is a series of dark wedges marking the subterminal line. The hindwings are grey-brown. Similar to L. georgii, L. unimoda and L. laticinerea. L. georgii is paler grey with a long thin black basal streak, the cross lines are obscure or obsolete and there is fine dark scaling along the veins giving a faintly streakier appearance. The other two species are darker than georgii, with less prominent cross lines. There are good genital characters, and dissections may be required to separate grotei, laticinerea, and unimoda.
Scientific NameLithophane groteiCommon Name
Grote's Sallow
Habitat
Deciduous and mixedwood forest.
Seasonality
Adults in Alberta September - (hibernates) - April.
Identification
A medium-size (4.2-5.0 cm wingspan) long-winged dull grey moth. The black basal dash is short and inconspicuous, and there is light grey shading along the basal part of the costa. The doubled black antemedian line is…
A medium-size (4.2-5.0 cm wingspan) long-winged dull grey moth. The black basal dash is short and inconspicuous, and there is light grey shading along the basal part of the costa. The doubled black antemedian line is jagged and linked on the lower half to the black-outlined claviform spot. The pale orbicular spot stands out against the ground, and has a small satellite spot at the lower margin. The hourglass-shaped reniform is outlined in black, filled with pale grey, and there is a series of dark wedges marking the subterminal line. The hindwings are grey-brown. Similar to L. georgii, L. unimoda and L. laticinerea. L. georgii is paler grey with a long thin black basal streak, the cross lines are obscure or obsolete and there is fine dark scaling along the veins giving a faintly streakier appearance. The other two species are darker than georgii, with less prominent cross lines. There are good genital characters, and dissections may be required to separate grotei, laticinerea, and unimoda.
Life History
Adults emerge in fall, hibernate and appear again in spring. They come to both light and bait. Larvae are solitary defoliators, and when reared in captivity are cannibalistic. (Covell 1984)
Conservation
Uncommon but widespread; no concerns.
Diet Info
No Alberta data; elsewhere recorded from a variety of deciduous trees and shrubs, including birch (Betula) and maple (Acer)(Prentice 1962), oak (Quercus) and red chokecherry (Prunus). Also reported to be a destructive…
No Alberta data; elsewhere recorded from a variety of deciduous trees and shrubs, including birch (Betula) and maple (Acer)(Prentice 1962), oak (Quercus) and red chokecherry (Prunus). Also reported to be a destructive green fruitworm on apple (Malus) in New York (Rings et al).
Range
Uncommon is east central Alberta, west to Redwater. Widespread in eastern North America, but not previously reported from west of Ontario.
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Page Citation for Lithophane grotei
Page Citation
"Species Details - Lithophane grotei, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-5195. Accessed 13 Aug. 2022.