Bug FAQBleeding Flower Moth
Schinia sanguinea · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: blazingstar flower moth
The bleeding flower moth lives from the Atlantic coast through the southern and central United States up to Montana, with a separate population in Ontario. Its caterpillars feed on Liatris species, and the adults fly in September and October.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The bleeding flower moth belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from about 24 to 35 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives from North Carolina down through Florida, westward to Texas, and up to Montana, with an isolated group in Ontario.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on plants in the Liatris genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active in the fall, flying in September and October.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
You will see them on the wing during September and October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
These areas constitute its native range.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It was once considered the same species as Schinia carmosina, which is now recognized as a separate moth.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 22 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana.
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
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/Schinia_sanguinea
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.