Bug FAQMarsh Fern Moth
Fagitana littera · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The marsh fern moth belongs to the Noctuidae family of moths. It was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
In Connecticut the species is considered a species of special concern.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris) is the only recorded host plant for this moth.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species was formally described by Achille Guenée in 1852.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 21 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Alabama, Florida, Connecticut, New York.
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
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/Fagitana_littera
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.