Bug FAQBold Medicine Moth
Chrysendeton medicinalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
The bold medicine moth has a wingspan of about 12 mm and shows a pattern of white, ocherous and brown markings with several white bands and patches. It occurs across many U.S. states in North America and adults can be seen on the wing for most of the year in the southern part of its range.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
A white median patch is followed by a curved white line, plus a white oblique band near the wing tip and a white band along the outer margin.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is about 12 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia.
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
When are bold medicine moths active?
Adults can be seen flying almost all year in the southern part of their range.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
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/Chrysendeton_medicinalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.