Bug FAQChalcedony Midget
Elaphria chalcedonia · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The Chalcedony Midget moth has a wingspan of about 24 to 28 mm. Caterpillars feed on Penstemon, Scrophularia and Mimulus plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures roughly 24 to 28 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on species of Penstemon, Scrophularia and Mimulus.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing all year in Florida and from June through September in the northern part of its range.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the eastern United States, ranging from Maine down to Florida, westward to Texas and northward to Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on Penstemon, Scrophularia and Mimulus species.
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/Elaphria_chalcedonia
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.