Bug FAQCotton Leafworm
Anomis argillacea · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Source: Wikipedia
Adult Anomis argillacea has a wingspan of about 25-35 mm and light brown to orange wings marked with black dots on each segment. It is native to the New World, ranging from Mexico down to northern Argentina, and migrates north in summer and fall, wintering in Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan of the adult ranges from 25 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
- Before organic insecticides appeared in the 1940s, outbreaks were largely unchecked.
- Riley (1885) documented dozens of methods attempted to kill the species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in tropical regions and only moves north during summer and fall when conditions allow. Eggs cannot survive frost, so adults spend winter in Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae are pests of cotton, feeding on leaves, twigs, and buds. Adults feed on the flowers of many different plant species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Depending on latitude, two to eight generations can occur each year in the United States. Females lay about 400 eggs on average, which is high for noctuid moths.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The species only migrates north in summer and fall under favorable conditions. Historical outbreak records begin after 1793, with major outbreaks in 1804, 1825, 1846, 1868, and 1873.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the New World, found from Mexico to northern Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Minnesota, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Ohio, Texas, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I identify Anomis argillacea?
Look for a moth about 25-35 mm wingspan with light brown to orange wings and distinct black dots on each wing segment.
Source: Wikipedia
Is Anomis argillacea a pest for crops?
Yes, its larvae damage cotton by feeding on leaves, twigs, and buds.
Source: Wikipedia
When does this moth migrate north?
It migrates north only during summer and fall when conditions are favorable.
Source: Wikipedia
What control methods were used historically?
Before the 1940s, many methods were tried, and Riley (1885) listed dozens of approaches to kill it.
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/Alabama_argillacea
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.