Bug FAQChalky Bird Dropping Moth
Acontia cretata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The chalky bird dropping moth has a wingspan of about 22 to 27 mm. It lives in the western United States, from California east to Texas and Oklahoma and north to Colorado and Utah. Adults fly from spring through late summer, roughly April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It has elongated palpi with a pointed front tuft and a well-developed third segment. Its antennae are simple, thread-like filaments without branches.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 22 to 27 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults appear from April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to the western United States, from California east to Texas and Oklahoma and north to Colorado and Utah.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 10 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Montana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are chalky bird dropping moths active?
Adults are active from April through September.
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/Acontia_cretata
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.