Bug FAQHooked Silver Υ Moth
Syngrapha alias · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Hooked Silver Y Moth, Hooked Silver Y, spruce climbing cutworm
The adult has a wingspan of about 30 to 34 mm. It is active as a flying moth from June through August, depending on where it lives. You can find it across North America, from Newfoundland and Alaska eastward to North Carolina and southward to coastal northern California and Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 30 to 34 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on white spruce (Picea glauca) and black spruce (Picea mariana).
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from June to August, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the same North American area described for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 22 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, New Hampshire, Washington, Alaska, Maine, Oregon, Montana, Colorado.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see the Hooked Silver Υ Moth?
Adults fly from June through August, with exact timing depending on the region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on spruce species, specifically white spruce and black spruce.
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/Syngrapha_alias
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.