Bug FAQCommon Idia Moth
Idia aemula · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Common Idia, Powdered Snout, Waved Tabby
The common Idia moth has a wingspan of about 2 to 3 cm and medium-grey wings with distinct dark lines and a pale reniform spot. It lives across North America from Canada to Florida and Texas and has also been reported in the Palearctic region. Larvae eat dead leaves, and adults appear from spring through fall, producing two to three generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Both fore- and hindwings are medium grey with thin dark basal, antemedial and postmedial lines. A pale subterminal line is set before a darker shade. The reniform spot is large and ranges from pale to warm ochre-orange brown. The hindwing shows several wavy light and dark lines plus a dark discal spot.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures roughly 20 to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs from Canada down to Florida and Texas. Records also exist from the Palearctic region.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on dead leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces two to three generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In North America, adults appear from spring through fall, varying by latitude.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range spans Canada to Florida and Texas, with additional reports from the Palearctic.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 46 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Michigan.
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
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/Idia_aemula
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.