Bug FAQNavel Orangeworm Moth
Amyelois transitella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Pyralidae
Also called: Pyralid moth, Navel Orangeworm
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of about 10 mm. They are on the wing from late March through late October in California. The larvae are a commercial pest of walnut, fig, almond and pistachio.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 9.7 to 10.9 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on and damage walnut, fig, almond and pistachio crops.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on wing from late March to late October in California.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are present from the end of March through the end of October in California.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 16 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, California, Mississippi, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What crops do the larvae damage?
The larvae damage walnut, fig, almond and pistachio crops.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are adult navel orangeworm moths?
Adults have a wingspan of about 10 mm, ranging from 9.7 to 10.9 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyralidae)
Indian-Meal MothPlodia interpunctellaCan damage your home
Greater Wax MothGalleria mellonella
Mediterranean Flour MothEphestia kuehniellaCan damage your home
Meal mothPyralis farinalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bee MothAphomia sociellaNuisance, not dangerous
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia MothHypsopygia olinalisSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyelois
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.