Bug FAQClio Tiger Moth
Ectypia clio · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The Clio tiger moth has black, hairy bodies and forewings 15 to 20 mm long. It inhabits lowland creek and river areas as well as agricultural and urban sites across California, the western Great Plains and the Southwest. Larvae feed on milkweed and adults are on the wing from late spring to early August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The moth is black and covered in hairs.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its forewings measure about 15 to 20 millimeters long.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in low-lying areas near creeks, rivers, farms and cities.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat milkweed plants (Asclepias species).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from late spring through early August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to California and parts of the western United States such as Nebraska, Texas, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, Nevada, 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
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectypia_clio
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.