Bug FAQLunar Underwing
Agrochola lunosa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The Lunar Underwing is a medium-sized moth with a 32 to 38 mm wingspan that flies at night from August to October and is attracted to light and flowers. It lives in grasslands, damp pastures, downland, parks and gardens across western Europe, and its larvae feed on all parts of various grasses, overwintering as caterpillars.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings usually show two dark spots and a black streak near the tip, while hindwings are whitish with a dark moon-shaped crescent that gives the species its name.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 32 to 38 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in grasslands, damp pastures, downland, as well as parks and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat all parts of various grasses and stay in that form over winter.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Caterpillars are light brown with dark warts, each bearing a short brush.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active at night from August through October and are drawn to light sources and flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Distributed sparsely across western Europe, including Spain, Scandinavia and Algeria.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Several colour forms exist, ranging from dull red without pale veins to deep red-brown, dark grey-brown, olive ochreous, and pale reddish ochreous, each described by different names.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, District of Columbia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Lunar Underwings most likely to be seen?
They fly at night from August to October and are attracted to lights and flowers.
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/Lunar_underwing
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.