Bug FAQDot-lined Wave
Idaea tacturata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
The dot-lined wave moth belongs to the Geometridae family. Its wingspan ranges from about 13 to 21 mm. It lives in the United States from Virginia down the Atlantic coast to Florida and west to the southeastern coast of Texas, and adults can be seen flying throughout the year in the southern part of that range.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Idaea tacturata, called the dot-lined wave moth, is a member of the Geometridae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan measures between 13 and 21 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the United States from Virginia to Florida and west to southeastern coastal Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on plants in the Trifolium genus.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They can be seen flying throughout the year where the climate is warm enough.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the eastern and southeastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae of the dot-lined wave moth eat?
The larvae feed on Trifolium species.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult dot-lined wave moths?
Adults are active and can be seen flying all year in the southern part of their range.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Willow BeautyPeribatodes rhomboidaria
Pale BeautyCampaea perlataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Lace-border MothScopula limboundataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Riband WaveIdaea aversata
Yellow Shell MothCamptogramma bilineata
Large Maple Spanworm MothProchoerodes lineolaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaea_tacturata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.