Notodonta manitou Neumögen & Dyar, 1893
93-0015.1
MN : Winona Co.
1mi E of Beaver, 755 ft
44.1, -92.0
July 29, 1985, LG Crabo.
Specimen courtesy of LGCC
Photograph copyright: Merrill A. Peterson
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Similar Species
Notodonta pacifica Data Filters
Date Range
Elevation (ft)
Identification
Adults
Notodonta manitou is a predominantly eastern and central North American moth is limited to the northeastern British Columbia in the Pacific Northwest. It is a medium-sized to large moth (17–20 mm) with a light gray, yellow-tan, and orange-brown forewing that has a flange along the posterior margin. It resembles Notodonta pacifica in color and pattern. In general, the forewing of N. manitou is smoother gray with less whitish gray in the anterior median area, the brown areas on the forewing are warmer colored with more orange, and the hindwing veins are lighter gray.
This species and N. pacifica can be distinguished by locality. Notodonta manitou occurs in northeastern British Columbia while N. pacifica occurs from southern British Columbia to California. N. manitou was recently recognized as distinct from N. scitipennis, an eastern North American species that does not occur in our region.
Larvae
The larva is smooth, brown with white stripe along the side, and has prominent fin-like thoracic humps and a caudal hump. It is depicted by Miller et al. (2018).
Habitat
This species is found in eastern hardwood forests and riparian habitats east of the Rocky Mountains. It flies in boreal forest in British Columbia.
Distribution
Pacific Northwest
Notodonta manitou has been found once at Charlie Lake in the Peace River District of British Columbia.
Global
This moth reaches its northwesterly limit in British Columbia. Elsewhere it is distributed in southern Canada and northern United States from central Alberta to the Atlantic Coast. It occurs in northern Colorado, where it is sympatric with Notodonta ochreata, east to the Maritime Provinces. Its southern limit in the eastern United States is Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Maine.
Life History
Larvae
This species feeds on Salicaceae and might be a specialist on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides).
Adults
Notodonta manitou flies during summer, from June to August in the East. British Columbia specimens were collected from late May to mid-July, while those in Alberta have been found during June and July.
Economic Importance
None.
Literature
Forbes (1948)
Miller et al. (2018)
