Bug FAQPale Yellow Dune Moth and Allies
Copablepharon grandis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Pale Yellow Dune Moth
The pale yellow dune moth measures about 38 to 41 mm across the wings. It occurs across North America from southern Alberta and Manitoba eastward to the Dakotas and Iowa, and west to California, extending south to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Adults are on the wing in July and August, and the species produces one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Copablepharon grandis, known as the pale yellow dune moth, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 38 to 41 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from July through August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North America, covering the same areas listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 16 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
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/Copablepharon_grandis
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.