Bug FAQChosen Sallow
Psaphida electilis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Chosen Sallow Moth
The Chosen Sallow is a moth in the Noctuidae family (Psaphida electilis). Adults have a wingspan of about 35 mm and fly in spring, mainly April to May. Its larvae feed on hickory (Carya) and walnut (Juglans) trees, and there is one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Psaphida electilis, known as the Chosen Sallow, belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs across North America from Quebec and Ontario down to Florida, and westward to Texas and Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on species of hickory (Carya) and walnut (Juglans).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April through May.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes eastern Canada and the United States, spanning from Quebec and Ontario to Florida, and west to Texas and Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Kansas.
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
When are adult Chosen Sallows active?
Adults are active in spring, typically from April to May.
Source: Wikipedia
What do Chosen Sallow caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on hickory (Carya) and walnut (Juglans) trees.
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/Psaphida_electilis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.