Bug FAQCommon Wainscot
Mythimna pallens · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Mathew's Wainscot
The common wainscot is a pale moth with yellowish forewings showing clear veins and pure white hindwings. It has a wingspan of about 3 to 4 centimetres and flies from June through October, producing one or two generations each year. This species lives across the Palearctic region, from Ireland and throughout Europe to Central Asia and the far east.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewings are a buff-yellow colour with strong vein patterns, while the hindwings are completely white. Overall the moth is very pale, lacking the darker spots seen in many related species.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 32 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found throughout the Palearctic realm, from Ireland across Europe and Russia to Central Asia and the Kurile Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults appear from June to October, with one or two broods each year. The species overwinters as a small larva.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In the British Isles the flight period is June-October, though it may differ elsewhere.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The distribution covers the same Palearctic area, from western Ireland to the far east of the continent.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Similar species include Mythimna impura, Mythimna straminea, and Mythimna favicolor, which can be hard to tell apart.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Maryland, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are common wainscot moths active?
Adults are on the wing from June through October, with one or two generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell a common wainscot from similar moths?
Look for its very pale yellow forewings with clear veins and pure white hindwings; related species may have darker markings.
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/Mythimna_pallens
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.