Bug FAQDark-spotted Palthis Moth
Palthis angulalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Dark-spotted Palthis, Spruce Harlequin
Source: Wikipedia
The dark-spotted palthis moth has a wingspan of about 20 to 26 mm. It lives across Canada and the northern United States down to Florida and Texas. Its caterpillars eat a wide range of plants, including trees and shrubs, so they may harm garden or forest vegetation.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Palthis angulalis belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan between 20 and 26 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on many plants such as alder, birch, fir, goldenrod, rhododendron, oak and spruce.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In the east it usually has two generations per year, while farther south it can have three or more.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from May through August in Alberta.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range covers the same area from Newfoundland to British Columbia and down to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 47 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, Virginia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Do these moths damage plants?
Yes, the caterpillars eat a variety of trees, shrubs and garden plants, which can cause damage.
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palthis_angulalis
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.