Bug FAQAsh Shoot Borer Moth
Papaipema furcata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Ash Tip Borer Moth, Ash Tip Borer
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of roughly 33 to 49 mm. They are active from August through October. Larvae feed on ash (Fraxinus) and boxelder (Acer negundo) and bore into the twigs, harming the trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges from about 33 to 49 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on ash species and on boxelder, boring into the twigs of these host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larval stage bores into twigs of ash and boxelder trees.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from August to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Maryland.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult ash shoot borer moths active?
Adults fly from August through October.
Source: Wikipedia
What trees do the larvae damage?
The larvae feed on ash (Fraxinus) and boxelder (Acer negundo) by boring into their twigs.
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/Papaipema_furcata
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.