SASKATCHEWAN GHOST MOTHS

DONALD R. HOOPER, P.O. Box 205, Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan. SOB ISO

Ghost Moths (of the family hindwings mouse grey in the male, lepialidae) are so named because the straw yellow in the female. Lower silver lale of a common European species spot in the middle of the forewing Hepialis humuli) is a ghostly white and enlarged and triangular. The larvae feed > known as the Ghost Swift. These on alder roots, and also other plants, as noths are recognized by the fact that they are found in areas where there are no alders. This species is rather com¬ ley have antennae no longer than the mon. ddth of the base of the forewings. They ave hind wings that are almost equal in Sthenopis purpurascens (Packard) — ?ngth to the forewings. The females fly Forewings banded with dark brown; hindwings mouse grey. Silver spots on ack and forth in a semi-circle (like a forewings equal in size or altogether endulum) over the area where they lay lacking. Easily confused with male neir eggs. The larvae feed underground Silver-spotted Ghost Moth. There are a n the roots of plants and bore upwards few unconfirmed records for Saskat¬ ito the stems. All the feeding is done in chewan. te larval stage, as the adults have non- jnctional mouths. The adults emerge Sthenopis quadriguttatus (Grote) — om mid-July until September. Hindwings salmon pink; dark bands on forewings yellowish-brown. A common Saskatchewan Ghost Moths are of species. The females lay their round, vo genera; the genus Sthenopis with a smooth, creamy-white eggs along the 'ing expanse from 60 to 90 mm and the edges of poplar woods. enus Hepialis with a wing expanse round 30 mm. (Sthenopis thule (Strecker) is pale yellow or The Saskatchewan species of dusky white. The submarginal bands of thenopis are: the forewings are reduced to brown spots. The caterpillars feed on willow thenopis argenteomaculatus (Harris) — roots. This species has been reported (The Silver-spotted Ghost Moth). from Manitoba and should be watched Forewings banded with dark brown; for in eastern Saskatchewan).

henopis argenteomaculatus (upper). Sthenopis argenteomaculatus (under). ■ Harris W. Harris

jptember 1981. 39(3) 141 The Saskatchewan species of Hepialis novigannus (B.&B.) — Similar to /i| Hepialis are: hyperboreus but the silver line on thi forewing with the lower edge straightei Occasional in pine woods i September. Hepialis hyperboreus (Moschler) — Yellowish brown. An almost continuous (Hepialis gracilis (Grote) — Brownish gre v-shaped silver line starting at the apex with the forewings marked with a \| of the forewing and extending almost to shaped band. Suspected of being tj the base of the wing. Found in the species that feeds on ferns. Occui Canadian Zone in Central Saskat¬ west to Alberta, so it undoubtedly will tt chewan. yet discovered in Saskatchewan).

Hepialis hyperboreus. W. Hai

SJS?J8

Hepialis novigannus; L-upper, R-under. W. HI

142 Blue HOST MOTHS AT THE PAS, ANITOBA

ALTER KRIVDA, P.O. Box 864, The Pas, Manitoba. R9A 1K8

Ghost moths are large moths. An mentioned above and two species are iutstretched specimen will fill the whole rather small — perhaps 30 mm across. ialm of the hand. They are flesh The smaller species are the scarce ones oloured. They have heavy abdomens in this area. Some 30 years of collecting le size of one’s little finger. When has failed to produce even a dozen Dund, they are always impressive. specimens. In The Pas area, they come to lights The large, rare, yellowish species i midsummer and settle on a wall or mentioned above occurs in the Dauphin loor, often just above the light source, area and may be associated with the hey hang downward like a limp rag Duck Mountain Drainage system. I nd will spend the whole night in this collected the fourth known Manitoba position. Due to their size, they may be specimen, in Dauphin, some years ago. ulnerable to sparrow attack. It is said It was on the bus depot window and nat the caterpillar is white and lives un- was the only insect present! In the erground for several years. According Riding Mountains of Manitoba, where I p authors one species feeds about the was Park Naturalist for four seasons in pots of water plants in low, wet places, the early 60’s, at least two other species here seems to be no record of anyone of Ghost Moths occur. There may be, nding a Ghost Moth caterpillar in therefore, in Manitoba, about six lanada. species of the group. They belong to The females lay eggs like poppy different genera, but all are true Ghost beds falling from a pod. A female, held Moths. } the hand, will lay dozens of eggs in a The whole group is of very ancient pry short time. Evidently, they are dis¬ stock — perhaps at the very root in the puted at random as the female is on evolution of the Lepidoptera . . . which e wing. Thousands of eggs are so makes it 200 million years ago. ropped at random. Apparently, this rolific egg production and dispersal is There are dozens of species in 3cessary to assure the survival of the Australia and Ceylon. Some of the Decies. I have seen no data on how largest known moths are Ghost Moths. sany eggs a female has been known to A particularly spectacular species from y. This could be a project for some Australia is a giant — 25 cm across. udent interested in moths. It would roduce new knowledge on a little Students of this group of insects will nown subject. The number of eggs laid find that the specimens tend to go |ay parallel those laid by say, a salmon. greasy in a few years. Over a period of years, the grease will spoil the Some Ghost Moths are very rare. specimens if it is not removed. They are Ihenopis thule (Strecker) in Southern very easily cleaned by placing the whole anitoba has been taken four times specimen, labels and all, into a jar that ply in the past 90 years. There are at has previously been filled with naptha. pst four species of Ghost Moths in The The specimens come out clean and bs area. Two are the very large species very fresh looking after a few hours.

ptember 1981. 39(3) 143