Bug FAQCoastal Graphic
Drasteria graphica · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Coastal Graphic Owlet, Graphic Moth
The graphic moth is a member of the family Erebidae. Its wingspan is roughly 30 to 35 mm. Caterpillars eat the plant Hudsonia.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The graphic moth belongs to the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 30 to 35 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits coastal sand dunes from Maine to Florida and west to Mississippi, and also the Great Lakes shores in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on Hudsonia plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active during the day from May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In the United States it is native to those coastal dunes and Great Lakes shoreline habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 19 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Alabama, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult graphic moths active?
Adults are on the wing from May to August and are active during daylight hours.
Source: Wikipedia
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drasteria_graphica
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.