Bug FAQBelted Grass-veneer
Euchromius ocellea · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Eyed Veneer, Necklace veneer moth
Source: Wikipedia
The Belted Grass-veneer moth has a wingspan between 13 and 27 mm. Its forewings are pale grey-ochre with two middle bands, a sub-terminal line, a white spot near the edge, and several black dots at the margin. The larvae feed on maize and sorghum, growing to about 18 to 20 mm long.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan ranging from 13 to 27 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is common in tropical and subtropical areas and appears only rarely as a migrant in places like the UK and the Netherlands.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae are white-bodied with amber markings and feed on maize and sorghum plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In southern Africa adults fly from October through April; in eastern Africa there are two flight periods, November-February and June-July.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Southern African adults are active October to April; eastern African adults appear November-February and again June-July.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 41 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, Louisiana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in Canada; native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Does the Belted Grass-veneer damage crops?
Yes, its caterpillars feed on maize and sorghum, making it a pest of those crops.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I expect to see the adults?
In southern Africa they are on the wing from October to April, while in eastern Africa they appear in two periods: November to February and June to July.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euchromius_ocellea
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.