Bug FAQBlack-winged Dahana Moth
Dahana atripennis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Black-winged Dahana
The black-winged dahana moth has a wingspan of about 33 to 40 mm. It lives in Florida and Georgia, where adults can be seen flying throughout the year. Its caterpillars feed on the plant Tillandsia usneoides.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Dahana atripennis, known as the black-winged dahana, belongs to the moth subfamily Arctiinae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan ranges from 33 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the U.S. states of Florida and Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the plant Tillandsia usneoides.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing year-round in Florida.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults can be seen flying throughout all seasons in Florida.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Florida and Georgia in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, North Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars of the black-winged dahana eat?
The larvae feed on Tillandsia usneoides.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult black-winged dahana moths active?
Adults are on the wing year-round in Florida.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find black-winged dahana moths?
They occur in Florida and Georgia in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahana_atripennis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.