Bug FAQOregon Cycnia Moth
Cycnia oregonensis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Oregon Cycnia
Adults have forewings about 19 to 20 mm long and are mostly a uniform gray color, making them look less patterned than related moths. They occur across most of North America, from the Mexican border up to central Canada, and the larvae feed on plants in the Apocynum genus.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
They are noticeably grayer and have fewer markings than other populations.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewings measure about 19 to 20 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on species of the plant genus Apocynum.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Their range includes the United States, Canada, and extends from the Mexican border north to central Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The subspecies *tristis* occurs only near Olympia, Washington, and is the sole known population of this species west of the Cascades.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 42 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Montana, Ohio, Kansas, Massachusetts, Colorado, South Dakota.
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
What do the larvae of the Oregon Cycnia moth eat?
The caterpillars feed on plants in the Apocynum genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find the Oregon Cycnia moth?
It lives across most of North America, from the Mexican border up to central Canada.
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/Cycnia_oregonensis
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.