Bug FAQGoldenrod stowaway
Cirrhophanus triangulifer · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Goldenrod Stowaway Moth
The goldenrod stowaway has a wingspan of about 30 to 44 mm. Adults are active on the wing in late summer, typically from August through September. They are found on yellow-flowered plants such as goldenrod, Coreopsis and Bidens during the day, and the caterpillars feed on Bidens species.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures between 30 and 44 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on plants in the genus Bidens, including Bidens bipinnata.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults is August through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It occurs in the United States from New York down to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma, reaching north to Wisconsin. In Canada it has only been recorded in Ontario.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Maryland, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania.
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
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I expect to see goldenrod stowaway moths?
Adults are active from August to September.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae feed on?
The caterpillars eat Bidens species, such as Bidens bipinnata.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found in North America?
It lives in the eastern and central United States from New York to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma, and has been recorded in Ontario, Canada.
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/Cirrhophanus_triangulifer
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.