Bug FAQLesser Vagabond Sod Webworm Moth
Agriphila ruricolellus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Lesser Vagabond Sod Webworm
The lesser vagabond sod webworm moth has a wingspan of about 18 to 20 mm and lives in grasslands, weedy areas, fields and cultivated lands. The species overwinters in the larval stage.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult moth’s wingspan measures roughly 18 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits grasslands, weedy spots, fields and cultivated areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on a variety of grasses as well as Rumex acetosella.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species overwinters as a larva.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Indiana.
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
What do the larvae of the lesser vagabond sod webworm moth eat?
They feed on various grasses and the plant Rumex acetosella.
Source: Wikipedia
What habitats does it prefer?
It lives in grasslands, weedy areas, fields and cultivated lands.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriphila_ruricolella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.