The new pest in town...

If you see the moth above you MUST report your sighting immediately to the Ministry of Agriculture!! No kidding - they are worried about this harmless-looking little sprite. It is a small pyralid called Duponchelia fovealis and apparently it has the potential to become a serious greenhouse pest.

I caught this fine example last night in my back yard trap here in Toronto. Don't worry, I've already reported the sighting to the appropriate authorities! I didn't know what it was at first so I took photos and let it go. Guess I shouldn't have done that! Anyway, I eventually tracked it down on the UK Moths site. It is an uncommon adventive there. Strangely, I had to chance to twitch one last year whilst I was over there...but didn't. If I had I would have recognized it immediately. Anyhow, there were some Ontario records in 2005 - all in greenhouses. Too bad, I thought this might be a first!


Here is another nice-looking, and harmless, pyralid called Chalcoela iphitalis. I catch this moth regularly throughout the summer in Toronto, but it seems to be scarce elsewhere.