Bug FAQEthmia apicipunctella
Ethmia apicipunctella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Ethmiidae
The forewings measure about 7 to 9 mm long and are white or pale gray with variable black spots, while the hindwings are whitish with a slight brownish tint near the tip.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The hindwings are whitish, becoming slightly brownish toward the apex.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in southern Texas, Nuevo León, eastern Arizona and nearby parts of Mexico. Its northern range reaches Colorado and southern Wyoming.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from March to July.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from early spring through midsummer (March to July).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In the north its range extends into Colorado and southern Wyoming.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Oklahoma.
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 Ethmia apicipunctella?
Adults are on the wing from March through July.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the wings of Ethmia apicipunctella look like?
The forewings are white or pale gray with black spots of varying size, and the hindwings are whitish with a slight brownish tint near the tip.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Ethmiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethmia_apicipunctella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.