Bug FAQMegalopyge lapena
Megalopyge lapena · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Megalopygidae
The moth has a wingspan of about 35 mm. Its forewings are very pale brownish-grey, becoming whiter beyond the cell and near the outer margin, with a small reddish-brown spot at the end of the cell and a larger reddish-brown spot of long crinkly scales below the median vein; the hindwings and underside are yellowish-white. It occurs in Mexico and the southern part of Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are very pale brownish-grey, turning whiter beyond the cell and near the outer margin. A small reddish-brown spot sits at the end of the cell, and a larger reddish-brown spot of long crinkly scales lies below the median vein. Hindwings and the underside are yellowish-white.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures roughly 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, Florida.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where is Megalopyge lapena found?
It occurs in Mexico and the southern part of Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Megalopygidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_lapena
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.