Bug FAQPalmerworm Moth and Allies
Dichomeris ligulella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gelechiidae
Also called: Palmerworm Moth
The adult moth has a wingspan of about 15 to 18 mm. It lives in eastern North America and can be seen from April through October. One generation is produced each year.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure 15 to 18 mm across the wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the eastern part of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat the leaves of apple, hackberry, hazel and oak trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is a single generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from April until October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan.
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
When can I see adult Palmerworm moths?
Adults are on the wing from April through October.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gelechiidae)
Angoumois Grain MothSitotroga cerealellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Black-smudged Chionodes MothChionodes mediofuscella
White Stripe-backed MothArogalea cristifasciella
Red-necked Peanutworm MothStegasta bosqueellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Tomato StemborerSymmetrischema tangoliasDamages trees, gardens or crops
Anisoplaca achyrotaAnisoplaca achyrotaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichomeris_ligulella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.