Bug FAQEpauletted Pitcher Plant Moth
Exyra fax · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Pitcher Plant Moth, pitcher window moth
The epauletted pitcher plant moth (Exyra fax) is a small noctuid with a wingspan of about 20 to 22 mm. Adults fly from June through August, but the species is in decline because of altered bog hydrology and biocide use.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Exyra fax belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures roughly 20 to 22 mm (0.79 to 0.87 in).
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Populations are declining because changes to bog water conditions and the use of biocides hurt them.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adult moths are on the wing from June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
You will see adults during the summer months of June, July, and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range extends from Manitoba and Michigan east to Nova Scotia and Maine, then south to Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, Delaware, Alabama, Florida.
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 epauletted pitcher plant moths?
Adults are active and can be seen flying from June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae of this moth eat?
The larvae feed on the purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea.
Source: Wikipedia
Why are these moths becoming less common?
They are declining due to disrupted bog water flow and the application of biocides.
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/Exyra_fax
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.