Bug FAQLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Prochoerodes lineola · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Also called: Large Maple Spanworm
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of about 35 to 50 mm. They occur across much of North America, from the Atlantic coast to Texas and up into Canada. Caterpillars feed on many plant species, including maple, oak, apple and soybean, so they can harm gardens and farms.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Prochoerodes lineola, known as the large maple spanworm, belongs to the Geometridae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges from 35 mm to 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found from Nova Scotia down to Florida, westward to Texas, and northward into Alberta.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat leaves of many plants such as apple, birch, blueberry, cherry, maple, oak, poplar, soybean, walnut and willow.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from April through October in southern regions and from July to September in northern areas.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Flight season runs April-October in the south and July-September in the north.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 42 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Do the larvae damage trees or crops?
Yes, they feed on a broad list of trees and crops, which can cause noticeable damage in gardens and farms.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see the adult moth?
In the south they fly from April to October; in the north their flight period is July to September.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is the large maple spanworm moth?
Its wingspan measures roughly 35 to 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prochoerodes_lineola
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.