Bug FAQObtuse Yellow
Azenia obtusa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The obtuse yellow moth has a wingspan of about 18 to 25 mm. Adults are on the wing from June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Azenia obtusa belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 18 to 25 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the plant Ambrosia trifida.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They are active during the summer months, June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the same North American region.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a member of the Noctuidae family, which includes many similar moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 31 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, Ohio, Virginia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are obtuse yellow moths active?
Adults are on the wing from June through August.
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/Azenia_obtusa
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.