Figure-seven Moth

Drasteria grandirena · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Figure-seven Moth
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0

The figure-seven moth (Drasteria grandirena) belongs to the family Erebidae and was first described in 1809. Its wingspan is about 35 mm and adults are active from March through August in California. The caterpillars feed on witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

Drasteria grandirena is commonly called the figure-seven moth or great kidney.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

The moth’s wingspan measures roughly 35 mm.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

It occurs across North America from eastern Canada down to Georgia and west to Arkansas.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Larvae feed on the leaves of witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

Adults are on the wing from March to August in California.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

The flight period spans March through August in California.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

Its native range includes Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Georgia and Arkansas in North America.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it is found in the US

Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Connecticut, Michigan, Massachusetts, Alabama, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas.

Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.

Source: GBIF

Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist

Months it is reported in the US

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Source: GBIF

More photos

Figure-seven Moth photo 2
Photo: Teá Montagna, CC BY
Figure-seven Moth photo 3
Photo: Jeff Niznik, CC BY-SA
Figure-seven Moth photo 4
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0
Figure-seven Moth photo 5
Photo: Teá Montagna, CC BY

Same family (Erebidae)

Spongy MothSpongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or cropsFall Webworm MothFall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or cropsBrown-tail MothBrown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skinIsabella Tiger MothIsabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabellaVirginian Tiger MothVirginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skinSalt Marsh MothSalt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaDamages trees, gardens or crops

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drasteria_grandirena

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.

How this page works

This is one bug's fact sheet. The colored box at the top says whether it is dangerous. Sections below cover how to recognize it, whether it is a pest, and how to deal with it. The US map shows which states have records; tap a state to see other bugs there.

Every fact on Bug FAQ comes from a named source (university extension sites, government agencies, GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia). The source is linked next to each section. If we have no source for something, we leave it out.