Bug FAQParthenice Tiger Moth
Grammia parthenice · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Source: Wikipedia
The Parthenice Tiger Moth has a wingspan of about 7.5 cm and shows black forewings with bold white veins and orange-pink hind wings marked with black patches. It lives in fields and woodland edges from June through late September across southeastern Canada and the eastern United States, where its larvae feed on low-growing plants such as dandelion, thistles and Vernonia. The caterpillars are dark, hairy, and can cause skin irritation if touched.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings and thorax are black with a network of bright white veins and white margins.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan is roughly 7.5 cm (about 3 inches).
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Handling the hairy caterpillars can cause skin irritation.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are common in open fields and at the edges of woods.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on low-growing plants such as dandelion, Vernonia and various thistles.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults have well-developed hearing organs on each side of the thorax.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are most often seen from June until late September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
They are native to southeastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
This species was moved from the genus Grammia to Apantesis along with related moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 43 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, North Carolina.
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 caterpillars eat?
They feed on low-growing plants like dandelion, Vernonia and thistles.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize a Parthenice Tiger Moth?
Look for black forewings with bold white veins and orange-pink hind wings with black patches.
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/Parthenice_tiger_moth
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.