Bug FAQFolded Satyr
Ufeus plicatus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The folded satyr is a moth in the Noctuidae family that lives in moist river areas with large poplars, especially eastern cottonwood. Its range includes several U.S. states and southern Quebec, suggesting it is widespread in northeastern North America. Adults appear from early spring through fall, most often in October-November and March-April, while larvae feed on cottonwood bark.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Ufeus plicatus belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Male forewings measure 16 to 19 mm and female forewings 17 to 20 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found near large poplars, especially eastern cottonwood, in moist river areas with loose rotting bark at the tree base.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Eggs are laid in spring; adults emerge in late spring and early summer, then mainly aestivate until fall before becoming active.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults have been recorded in every month except June, with most sightings in October-November and March-April.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Oregon, Arizona, California, Wisconsin, Idaho, Michigan, Vermont, Montana.
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
Questions people ask
What trees do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides).
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/Ufeus_plicatus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.