Bug FAQDiminutive Grass-veneer
Raphiptera argillaceellus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Diminutive Grass-veneer Moth
The diminutive grass-veneer (Raphiptera argillaceellus) is a small moth with a wingspan of 10 to 15 mm. It inhabits bogs across eastern North America, from Canada and the United States down to Florida, Texas and Costa Rica. Adults fly in the summer, from June to August, and the larvae probably feed on grasses.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The scientific name is Raphiptera argillaceellus, commonly called the diminutive grass-veneer.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 10 to 15 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in boggy areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars probably feed on grasses.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
You will see them on the wing during the summer months.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to eastern North America, including parts of Canada and the United States. Its range extends southward to Florida, Texas, and even Costa Rica.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Alabama, Michigan, Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see adult diminutive grass-veeners?
Adults are on the wing from June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does this moth live?
It lives in bogs across eastern North America, from Canada and the United States down to Florida, Texas and Costa Rica.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphiptera
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.