Bug FAQArid Eudesmia Moth
Eudesmia arida · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The arid eudesmia moth belongs to the family Erebidae and has a wingspan of about 23 to 30 mm. It lives in the southwestern United States, from Arizona to Texas, and in Mexico, where the larvae feed on lichens. Adults are on the wing from June through October, and the species was first described by Skinner in 1906.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Eudesmia arida is a moth in the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 23 to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species was first described by Skinner in 1906.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults have been recorded flying from June to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 4 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Alabama.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are arid eudesmia moths active?
Adults are on the wing from June through October.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudesmia_arida
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.