Bug FAQCoastal Heathland Cutworm
Abagrotis nefascia · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Abagrotis nefascia is a moth that belongs to the Noctuidae family. It lives across much of North America, from western Canada down through the United States to the west coast and the northeast. In the western United States the caterpillars have been found feeding on serviceberry (Amelanchier) and currants (Ribes).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Western U.S. larvae have been recorded on Amelanchier and Ribes plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes parts of Canada and the United States across the continent.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Arizona, Washington, California, New York, Oregon, Montana, Colorado.
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
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae of Abagrotis nefascia eat?
In the western United States the caterpillars feed on serviceberry (Amelanchier) and currants (Ribes).
Source: Wikipedia
Where is Abagrotis nefascia found?
It occurs from western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia) through the United States to Massachusetts and California.
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/Abagrotis_nefascia
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.