Bug FAQMouse-colored Euchaetes
Pygarctia murina · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Mousey Tiger Moth
The mouse-colored euchaetias is a small moth with a wingspan of about 26 to 33 mm and adults fly from late July through September. Its larvae feed on Euphorbia and can be raised on Funastrum species. It occurs in the southwestern United States, from Utah and Colorado to southeastern California and southern Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Pygarctia murina, known as the mouse-colored euchaetias, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan ranges from 26 to 33 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Fully grown larvae reach about 22 mm in length and pupate in a silken cocoon among surface debris.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from late July through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is in the United States, specifically the states mentioned above.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, California, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho.
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 adult mouse-colored euchaetias active?
Adults fly from late July until September.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on Euphorbia species and can also be raised on Funastrum species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It occurs in the southwestern United States, from Utah and Colorado to southeastern California and southern Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygarctia_murina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.