Bug FAQMesquite Stinger Moth
Norape tenera · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Megalopygidae
Source: Wikipedia
The mesquite stinger moth has a wingspan of about 29 mm and adults are white with a dark thorax and brown-black edges on the forewings.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults are white with a darkened thorax and have forewings edged in brown-black along the costal, outer, and inner margins and fringe, except at the apex.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures roughly 29 mm (about 1.1 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Can it bite, sting or make you sick?
Caterpillars have light-green bodies with black and white stripes and bear stinging hairs that can cause skin irritation.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in Mexico and the southwestern United States, particularly southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, New Mexico.
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
How big is the mesquite stinger moth?
Its wingspan is about 29 mm, roughly 1.1 inches.
Source: Wikipedia
What does the adult moth look like?
Adults are white with a dark thorax and have forewings edged in brown-black on the costal, outer, and inner margins and fringe, except at the tip.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this moth?
It occurs in Mexico and the southwestern United States, especially southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Do the caterpillars sting?
The caterpillars have stinging hairs that can irritate skin if touched.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Megalopygidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norape_tener
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.