Bug FAQOblong Sedge Borer Moth
Globia oblonga · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Oblong Sedge Borer
The oblong sedge borer is a moth in the Noctuidae family. Adults have a wingspan of about 35 to 50 mm and fly from June through September, producing one generation each year. Its larvae mine leaves and then bore the stems of cattail and bulrush plants underwater.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Globia oblonga belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 35 to 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from June to September, varying with location. There is one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults appear from June through September depending on where they are found.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes southern Canada from British Columbia to the Maritimes, the Gulf of Mexico region, and southern California.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 43 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, California, Texas, Vermont, Washington.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult oblong sedge borers active?
Adults fly from June to September, with timing varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It produces one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae feed on?
The larvae mine leaves and then bore the stems of cattail (Typha) and bulrush (Scirpus) plants underwater.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globia_oblonga
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.