Bug FAQHahncappsia coloradensis
Hahncappsia coloradensis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Males have a wingspan of about 23 to 31 mm, while females are slightly larger at 27 to 31 mm. The forewings are pale whitish with a faint ochre tint and the hindwings are also whitish. It lives across parts of the United States, from Iowa west to Utah and south to Texas and Arizona, and adults fly from spring through early fall.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The front wings are whitish with a slight ochreous hue, and the back wings are plain whitish.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Male wingspan ranges from 23 to 31 mm; females range from 27 to 31 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It has been recorded in North American states from Iowa to Utah, as well as Colorado, Texas and Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on plants of the Helianthus genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period spans April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its North American range includes Iowa, Utah, Colorado, Texas and Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oregon, Montana.
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
When are adult Hahncappsia coloradensis active?
Adults can be seen flying from April until September.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on Helianthus species, such as sunflowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
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/Hahncappsia_coloradensis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.