Bug FAQBarnes' Lichen Moth
Cisthene barnesii · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The forewings measure about 11 to 12 mm in length. Adults are on the wing from mid-July to late August.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Forewing length is 11 to 12 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Lives in dry bunchgrass steppe.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from mid-July through late August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Arizona, Montana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisthene_barnesii
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.