Bug FAQDusky Herpetogramma Moth
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Dusky Herpetogramma, tropical sod webworm
The adult moth has a wingspan of about 18 mm. It is called the dark sod webworm and belongs to the Crambidae family. It lives in many tropical and subtropical regions, from the southeastern United States through Central and South America and across parts of Africa and Asia. The caterpillars eat grass leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis is the scientific name and it is commonly known as the dark sod webworm.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan of roughly 18 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found from South Carolina to Florida and west to Texas in the United States, as well as in Central and South America. Its range also includes the Andaman Islands, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, several African countries, and islands such as Réunion and Madagascar.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In its native range it occurs in the southeastern United States, Central America, South America, parts of Africa and Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 23 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Oklahoma.
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
What do the larvae of the dark sod webworm eat?
The caterpillars feed on grass leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the dusky Herpetogramma moth found?
It lives in the southeastern United States, Central and South America, and many tropical regions of Africa and Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
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/Herpetogramma_phaeopteralis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.