Bug FAQDalcerides ingenita
Dalcerides ingenita · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Dalceridae
Dalcerides ingenita lives in the southwestern United States, from southeastern Arizona north to Flagstaff, as well as in southwestern Texas and Mexico. The caterpillars feed on the shrubs Arctostaphylos pungens and the oaks Quercus emoryi and Quercus oblongifolia. Adults are active from late April through September in Arizona and from July through December in Mexico, and they are part of a mimicry group that includes the geometrid Eubaphe unicolor.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Its habitat includes the regions of southeastern Arizona, the mountainous areas to Flagstaff, southwestern Texas, and parts of Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the plant Arctostaphylos pungens and on the oak species Quercus emoryi and Quercus oblongifolia.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight season in Arizona runs from late April through September, while in Mexico it extends from July to December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the United States, occurring in southeastern Arizona, the mountains up to Flagstaff, and southwestern Texas, and it also occurs in Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
In Arizona it mimics the beetles Lycus loripes and Lycus simulans and is often confused with the similar geometrid moth Eubaphe unicolor.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult Dalcerides ingenita moths active?
In Arizona they fly from late April to September, and in Mexico they are on wing from July to December.
Source: Wikipedia
Which insects are commonly mistaken for Dalcerides ingenita?
It is part of a mimicry complex that includes the beetles Lycus loripes and Lycus simulans and can be confused with the geometrid moth Eubaphe unicolor.
Source: Wikipedia
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalcerides_ingenita
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.