Bug FAQGeronimo Forester
Alypiodes geronimo · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Geronimo forester moths show sexual dimorphism: females have two forewing spots while males have three. They occur across North America and parts of Mexico, and their caterpillars feed on Boerhavia leaves. The species was first described by William Barnes in 1900 and is distinct from the similar Alypiodes bimaculata.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Females have two spots on each forewing, while males have an additional third spot.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars eat the leaves of plants in the genus Boerhavia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes North America and parts of Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It differs from the similar Alypiodes bimaculata, which lacks the male’s extra forewing spot.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I tell Geronimo forester apart from Alypiodes bimaculata?
Look for the extra spot on the male’s forewing; Geronimo forester males have three spots, while Alypiodes bimaculata does not.
Source: Wikipedia
What do Geronimo forester caterpillars eat?
They feed on the leaves of Boerhavia species.
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/Alypiodes_geronimo
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.