Bug FAQMedia Moth
Samea baccatalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
The Media Moth has a wingspan of about 22 to 24 mm and its forewings are a dull golden-yellow color washed with brownish tones. Each wing shows three sets of dull white spots edged in black, distinct crosslines in the middle, and the hindwings become translucent whitish near the base. Adults are active from March through December and have been recorded in several southern U.S. states.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are dull golden yellow with a faint brown wash. Three groups of dull white spots, each outlined in blackish color, appear on each wing. Hindwings are yellowish, turning translucent whitish toward the base. Distinct crosslines run across the central area of the wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 22 to 24 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from March through December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North America, specifically the listed U.S. states.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Media Moths active?
Adults can be seen from March all the way through December.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
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/Samea_baccatalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.