Bug FAQDoubtful Apamea Moth
Apamea dubitans · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Doubtful Apamea
The doubtful apamea moth has a wingspan of about 40 mm. Adults are active from June through September, depending on where they live. Its caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Apamea dubitans, called the doubtful apamea, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan is roughly 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is widely found across North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae eat various grass species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from June to September, with timing varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period spans June through September, depending on region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers much of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Wisconsin.
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 are doubtful apamea moths seen?
Adults are on the wing from June to September, with exact timing depending on the area.
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/Apamea_dubitans
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.