Bug FAQBanded Sunflower Moth
Cochylichroa hospes · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Source: Wikipedia
The banded sunflower moth (Cochylichroa hospes) belongs to the Tortricidae family. Its larvae eat the developing seeds inside sunflower flower heads, harming the crop. Adults fly in July and August and the species overwinters as a late-instar larva.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Cochylichroa hospes is a moth of the family Tortricidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewings measure about 5.5 to 8 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the developing seeds inside the flower heads of Helianthus (sunflower) species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species spends the winter as a last-instar larva.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing during July and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It was moved from the genus Cochylis to Cochylichroa in 2019 after phylogenetic analysis.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Alabama, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants does the banded sunflower moth damage?
Its larvae eat the developing seeds of sunflower plants, which can reduce crop yields.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult banded sunflower moths active?
Adults are active and can be seen flying in July and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aster and Reddish Eucosma Moths and AlliesEucosma parmatanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochylichroa_hospes
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.