Bug FAQAutumnal Moth
Epirrita autumnata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
The Autumnal Moth flies in September and October. Its caterpillars eat many kinds of trees and shrubs. It is found across the Palearctic region and the Near East.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species overwinters as an egg.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing in September and October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the Palearctic region and the Near East.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 23 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Alaska, Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire, Michigan.
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
Where can I find Autumnal Moths?
They are found across the Palearctic region and the Near East.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell this moth apart from similar species?
Identification usually requires examining the genitalia because it looks like several other moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumnal_moth
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.