Bug FAQLasionycta perplexa
Lasionycta perplexa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Lasionycta perplexa is a moth in the Noctuidae family with a wingspan of about 33 to 35 mm. It inhabits conifer forests across much of North America, from southern Alaska and Yukon down to California, Utah, and Colorado, plus a separate group near Hudson Bay. The larvae feed on alder (Alnus) species, and adults are on the wing from mid-June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures about 33 to 35 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in conifer forests.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat alder trees (Alnus species).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from mid-June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America, ranging from southern Alaska and Yukon down to California, Utah, and Colorado, with an isolated population near Hudson Bay.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, California, New Mexico.
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
Where is Lasionycta perplexa found?
It lives in conifer forests across much of North America, from southern Alaska and Yukon down to California, Utah, and Colorado, with a separate group near Hudson Bay.
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/Lasionycta_perplexa
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.