Bug FAQNorthern Arches
Drasteria hudsonica · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Northern Arches Moth
The northern arches moth, Drasteria hudsonica, belongs to the family Erebidae. It has a wingspan of about 35 to 36 mm and flies in June in northern parts of its range. Its caterpillars feed on the shrub Shepherdia canadensis.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Drasteria hudsonica is commonly called the northern arches and is a moth in the Erebidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 35 to 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs from Alaska and Yukon down through California and eastward to New Mexico and Manitoba.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the plant Shepherdia canadensis.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing in June in the northern part of the range, with earlier flight times farther south.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes western and central North America, from Alaska and Yukon to California, New Mexico and Manitoba.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Oregon, Utah, California, Alaska.
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
Questions people ask
When are northern arches moths active?
Adults fly in June in northern areas, and they appear earlier in more southern locations.
Source: Wikipedia
Who first described this species?
It was first described by Grote and Robinson in 1865.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find northern arches moths?
They are found from Alaska and Yukon down to California and east to New Mexico and Manitoba.
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drasteria_hudsonica
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.