Bug FAQBent-lined Dart
Choephora fungorum · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Bent-line Dart, Bent-line Dart Moth
The bent-lined dart has a wingspan of about 33 to 47 mm. Adults are on the wing from September through November, depending on where they live. Its larvae feed on clover, tobacco, various herbaceous weeds and have been raised on dandelions.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 33 to 47 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat clover, tobacco, various herbaceous weeds and can be reared on dandelion species.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from September to November, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is the eastern United States and adjacent parts of Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia.
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
When can I see these moths?
Adults are active from September through November, depending on the region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on clover, tobacco, various herbaceous weeds and can be raised on dandelions.
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/Choephora_fungorum
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.