Bug FAQPackard's Lichen Moth
Cisthene packardii · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
It lives in the United States from New York down to Florida and west to Texas, and adults are active from February through December in the southern part of its range. Its larvae grow to about 12 mm long and feed on algae and lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is roughly 19 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on algae and lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Full-grown larvae reach about 12 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from February through December in the southern part of their range.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, Georgia, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee.
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 do the larvae of Packard's Lichen Moth eat?
The larvae feed on algae and lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult Packard's Lichen Moths?
Adults are active from February to December in the southern part of their range.
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisthene_packardii
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.