Bug FAQMarbled White Moth
Nyctemera adversata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The marbled white moth was first described in 1788 and belongs to the family Erebidae. It lives across South and Southeast Asia, including India, China, Japan, and Indonesia. Its caterpillars feed on plants such as Erechtites, Erigeron, Gynura, Picris, and Senecio.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Nyctemera adversata, called the marbled white moth, is a member of the Erebidae family and was named by Johann Gottlieb Schaller in 1788.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species is found in many Asian countries, from Sri Lanka and India to China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat a variety of herbaceous plants, including species of Erechtites, Erigeron, Gynura, Picris and Senecio.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the day.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Myanmar, many Chinese provinces, Taiwan, northern Honshu in Japan, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do marbled white moth caterpillars eat?
The caterpillars feed on plants such as Erechtites, Erigeron, Gynura, Picris and Senecio.
Source: Wikipedia
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctemera_adversata
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.