Bug FAQChionodes praeclarella
Chionodes praeclarella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gelechiidae
The moth has a wingspan of about 18 to 20 mm. It occurs across most of North America and also in parts of Europe, specifically Austria, Switzerland and Italy, and its larvae feed on plants in the Polygonaceae family.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Hindwings are light fuscous.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 18 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found throughout most of North America. In Europe it is limited to Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on species of the Polygonaceae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes most of North America. It also occurs in Europe, specifically Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Wyoming, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Colorado, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae of Chionodes praeclarella eat?
The larvae have been recorded feeding on plants in the Polygonaceae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is Chionodes praeclarella found?
It occurs across most of North America and also in Austria, Switzerland and Italy in Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gelechiidae)
Angoumois Grain MothSitotroga cerealellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Boxelder Leafworm MothChionodes obscurusella
Hairy, Toothed, and Shining Dichomeris Moths and AlliesDichomeris setosella
Black-smudged Chionodes Moth and AlliesChionodes occidentellaBlack-smudged Chionodes MothChionodes mediofuscella
Inverse and Kimball's Dichomeris MothsDichomeris inversellaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chionodes_praeclarella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.