Bug FAQFour-spotted Palpita Moth
Palpita quadristigmalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Four-spotted Palpita
Source: Wikipedia
The forewings are about 13.5 to 14.5 mm long. Caterpillars feed on privet (Ligustrum) and have also been recorded on olive trees, and they can strip leaves from orchards and eat olive fruit.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewings measure roughly 13.5 to 14.5 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are recognized as a potential pest because they can defoliate entire orchards and also feed on olive fruit.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They occur throughout North America, from Quebec and Ontario down to Florida and west to Arizona and Colorado.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on privet (Ligustrum) species. In Texas they have also been observed feeding on olive trees (Olea europaea).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Their native range covers much of Canada and the United States, spanning eastern provinces to the Southwest.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Carolina.
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
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where are four-spotted Palpita moths found?
They are found across North America from Quebec and Ontario down to Florida, and west to Arizona and north to Colorado.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on privet (Ligustrum) species and have also been recorded eating olive trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Can they damage my garden or orchard?
Yes, the larvae can strip leaves from orchard trees and feed on olive fruit, acting as a crop pest.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palpita_quadristigmalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.