Bug FAQDusky Silver Υ Moth
Syngrapha octoscripta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Dusky Silver Y Moth, Dusky Silver Y
The dusky silver Y moth has a wingspan of about 34 to 36 mm. Adults fly in July and August, depending on where they live.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is called the dusky silver Y or figure-eight looper moth and belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures 34 to 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found across Canada and the northern United States, from coast to coast.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on Vaccinium species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from July through August, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 13 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Alaska, Montana, Vermont, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, Connecticut.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see adult dusky silver Y moths?
Adults are active from July to August, depending on the region.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations are produced each year?
The species has one generation per year.
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/Syngrapha_octoscripta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.