Bug FAQBlack-dot Diatraea
Diatraea evanescens · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
The black-dot Diatraea is a small moth with a wingspan of about 18 to 20 mm. It lives in many southeastern and central US states, including Alabama, Florida, Texas and others. Its larvae feed on the grass Paspalum larranagae.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Diatraea evanescens belongs to the moth family Crambidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 18 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the grass species Paspalum larranagae.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults have been observed flying from March through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the same US states listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Nebraska.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult black-dot Diatraea active?
Adults are on the wing from March to September.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
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/Diatraea_evanescens
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.