Bug FAQBoneset Borer Moth
Carmenta pyralidiformis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sesiidae
Also called: The Boneset Borer
Source: Wikipedia
The boneset borer moth has a wingspan of about 21 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 21 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat the roots of boneset and thoroughwort species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Missouri.
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
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae feed on?
The caterpillars feed on the roots of boneset and thoroughwort plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sesiidae)
Purplish CopperLycaena helloides
Squash Vine BorerEichlinia cucurbitaeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bronze CopperLycaena hyllus
Maple Callus Borer MothSynanthedon acerniDamages trees, gardens or crops
Southern Red RimBiblis hyperia
Peachtree Borer MothSynanthedon exitiosaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmenta_pyralidiformis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.