Bug FAQBlack-shaded Platynota Moth
Platynota flavedana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Source: Wikipedia
Males have forewings about 5 to 6.5 mm long and females about 6 to 8.5 mm long. The caterpillars eat a wide range of plants, including maple, sunflower, cotton, strawberry, peach, rose and citrus species.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The species is called the black-shaded platynota moth (Platynota flavedana).
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Male forewings measure 5 to 6.5 mm, while females measure 6 to 8.5 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on many plants such as maple, Eupatorium, sunflower, carnation, rockrose, St. John’s-wort, rhododendron, clover, sassafras, cotton, strawberry, peach, rose and citrus species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, Maryland, Alabama, Louisiana, New Jersey, Mississippi, Pennsylvania.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants does the black-shaded platynota moth eat?
Its larvae feed on a wide variety of plants, including maples, sunflowers, cotton, strawberries, peaches, roses and citrus species.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are these moths?
Males have forewings about 5 to 6.5 mm long and females about 6 to 8.5 mm long.
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
Filbertworm MothCydia latiferreanaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platynota_flavedana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.