Bug FAQGreen Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Black Snout, Green Cloverworm
The green cloverworm moth has a wingspan of about 25 to 35 mm and belongs to the family Erebidae. It lives across North America from Canada down to Florida and Texas, and has been found in Great Britain on an imported soybean shipment. Its caterpillars eat many plants, especially legumes, maples, cherries, hackberries, elms and other species.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan ranges from 25 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs throughout North America from Canada to Florida and Texas. It has also turned up in Great Britain after an American soybean shipment.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae are generalists and feed on many plants, especially those in the pea family. They also eat maples, cherries, hackberries, elms and numerous other hosts.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults can be seen from March through November, and year-round in warmer areas. There are several generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from March to November, or continuously in warm regions.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is North America, spanning Canada to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 43 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, Illinois, Alabama, Pennsylvania, North Carolina.
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
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypena_scabra
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.