Bug FAQMother-of-Pearl Moth
Argyria rufisignella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
The Mother-of-Pearl Moth has forewings about 6 to 6.7 mm long. It occurs in North America, recorded from the eastern United States down to Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The front wings are a silvery-white color with a light brown margin along the leading edge. The rear wings are white.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Forewing length ranges from 6 mm to about 6.7 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found in North America, especially the eastern United States and extending south to Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 11 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
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/Argyria_rufisignella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.