Bug FAQBottlebrush Borer Moth
Papaipema cerina · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Golden Borer Moth, Wild Rye Borer Moth
It lives in a variety of wet and mesic habitats across the upper Midwest and eastern Canada. Its caterpillars feed on lilies, May apple, bottlebrush grass and dark green bullrush.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Papaipema cerina is a bright yellow moth in the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults runs from September to mid-October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 13 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Wisconsin, Michigan, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Indiana, Ohio.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
When can I see adult golden borer moths?
Adults are active from September through mid-October.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on lilies, May apple, bottlebrush grass and dark green bullrush.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It occurs in several U.S. states in the Midwest and Northeast and in Ontario, Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
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/Papaipema_cerina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.