Bug FAQInept Graphic
Drasteria inepta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Inept Drasteria
The adult has a wingspan of roughly 35 to 43 mm. It occurs from Arizona eastward to Texas and northward into Colorado and Utah, and adults are active from April through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan measures about 35 to 43 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Found from Arizona to Texas and north to Colorado and Utah.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 9 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. 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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drasteria_inepta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.