Bug FAQAbagrotis variata
Abagrotis variata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Source: Wikipedia
Abagrotis variata is a North American moth first described in 1876, with a wingspan of roughly 36 to 42 mm. Adults are seen from June through September, while the caterpillars eat willow and similar shrubs, potentially harming them.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
This species belongs to the Noctuidae family and was formally named by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1876.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan measures about 36 to 42 millimetres.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives across North America, from British Columbia and Alberta down to California and eastward to New Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on flowering trees and shrubs, especially willow species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Moths are on the wing from June to September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adult flight period typically spans August and September, but can start as early as June in some areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes western and southwestern parts of Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 13 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Montana, Oregon, Arizona, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Idaho.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
When can I expect to see the adult moths?
Adults are active from June through September, with peak activity in August and September.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abagrotis_variata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.