Bug FAQPale Palpidia
Palpidia pallidior · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The moth has a stout body and a wingspan of about 35 mm, with mottled brown forewings and hidden white hind wings. It occurs in Florida and Cuba, and its larvae probably feed on foliage without being an agricultural pest. Adult moths are likely nocturnal, being active at night.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The moth shows mottled brown forewings and hidden white hind wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its body is stout with a wingspan of about 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The larvae probably eat foliage and are not known as an agricultural pest.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are probably nocturnal, as most noctuoids are.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adult moths are probably active at night.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found in Florida and Cuba.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the wings look like?
The forewings are mottled brown and the hind wings are white but hidden when at rest.
Source: Wikipedia
When are the adults active?
The adult moths are probably nocturnal, being active at night.
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/Palpidia_pallidior
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.