Bug FAQForbes' Idia Moth
Idia forbesii · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Forbes's Idia
Forbes' idia moth is a small litter moth in the family Erebidae with a wingspan of about 17 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forbes' idia moth belongs to the litter moth group in the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 17 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives across North America from Wisconsin and Quebec down to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat dead plant material such as fallen leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In northern parts it produces one generation per year, while in southern areas it can have several generations.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the United States and Canada, from the Great Lakes region south to the Gulf Coast.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York.
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
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idia_forbesii
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.