Bug FAQHelvibotys helvialis
Helvibotys helvialis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Source: Wikipedia
The caterpillars eat Amaranthus species and Beta vulgaris, which are garden and crop plants. It occurs across much of North America, from the West Coast to the East Coast and into Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Males have a wingspan of about 18 to 20 mm, while females range from 16 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is recorded from California eastward to Florida and northward to states such as Massachusetts, Michigan, Iowa and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on plants in the Amaranthus genus and on beet (Beta vulgaris).
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults have been observed flying from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North America, spanning the same regions listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 26 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, California, Arizona, New Jersey, Georgia, Kansas.
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
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on Amaranthus species and beet plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How large are these moths?
Males have a wingspan of about 18 to 20 mm; females are slightly smaller, 16 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this species?
It occurs across North America, from California to Florida and up into the northeastern United States and eastern Canada.
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/Helvibotys_helvialis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.