Bug FAQCupid and Greater Red Darts and Allies
Abagrotis cupida · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Cupid Dart, Cupid Dart Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The Cupid dart moth (Abagrotis cupida) belongs to the Noctuidae family. Its wingspan measures about 33 to 35 mm. Adults fly in late summer, mainly from August to September in places like Alberta.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 33 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Reported food plants are willow, cultivated apple, grape and peach trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing in late summer, producing one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In Alberta, the flight period is from August through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes southern Canada and the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, South Carolina, Maryland, Montana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Connecticut, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do Cupid dart moths feed on?
They feed on willow, cultivated apple, grape and peach trees.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult Cupid darts active?
Adults fly in late summer, typically from August to September.
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_cupida
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.