Bug FAQEsther Moth
Hypagyrtis esther · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Source: Wikipedia
Esther moths have a wingspan of about 25 to 45 mm and belong to the Geometridae family. The caterpillars feed on pine leaves, which can cause damage to pine trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Esther moth (Hypagyrtis esther) is a member of the Geometridae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 25 to 45 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the leaves of pine (Pinus) species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May through October, and in Ohio specifically from July to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Flight season spans May to October, with a shorter period in Ohio (July-August).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes many eastern and central U.S. states such as Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, and Ohio.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a geometrid moth, similar in appearance to other members of its family.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 31 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Alabama, Massachusetts, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult Esther moths active?
Adults fly from May to October, and in Ohio from July to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Esther moth found in the United States?
It occurs from Massachusetts to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Ohio.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Willow BeautyPeribatodes rhomboidaria
Pale BeautyCampaea perlataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Lace-border MothScopula limboundataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Riband WaveIdaea aversata
Yellow Shell MothCamptogramma bilineata
Large Maple Spanworm MothProchoerodes lineolaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypagyrtis_esther
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.