Bug FAQErythrina borer
Terastia meticulosalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Erythrina Twigborer
Source: Wikipedia
The adult has a wingspan of about 39 mm. Larvae feed on Erythrina (coral) trees, and the species has become a notable pest of ornamental coral trees in California.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is roughly 39 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Since 2016 it has been abundant in California and is considered a pest of ornamental coral trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in southeastern Arizona, southern Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Jamaica.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae eat leaves of Erythrina species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 9 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Alabama.
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 trees does the erythrina borer damage?
Its larvae feed on Erythrina (coral) trees, causing damage to those ornamental plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where in the United States can I find this moth?
It has been recorded in southeastern Arizona, southern Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
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/Terastia_meticulosalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.