Bug FAQImpulsive Apamea
Apamea impulsa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The Impulsive Apamea is a moth with a wingspan of about 34 mm. Its larvae feed on grasses and there is one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Impulsive Apamea belongs to the Noctuidae family of moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 34 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on various grasses.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is a single generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from June through August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
This species is native to North America, spanning the southern parts of Canada and the northern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Maine, Ohio, Connecticut.
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
Questions people ask
When are Impulsive Apamea moths active?
Adults fly from June to August, with exact timing varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
There is one generation per year.
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/Apamea_impulsa
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.