Bug FAQPeacock Brenthia Moth
Brenthia pavonacella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Choreutidae
Also called: Peacock Brenthia
The peacock brenthia moth has a wingspan of about 9 mm (0.35 in). It lives in parts of North America such as Illinois, Maryland, Iowa, Oklahoma and South Carolina, and has also been recorded in Mexico. In Illinois the species produces at least two generations each year, with larvae appearing from early July to early September.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Brenthia pavonacella belongs to the moth family Choreutidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures roughly 9 mm, or about a third of an inch.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae have been observed feeding on plants of the genus Desmodium (family Fabaceae) in Illinois.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Larvae can be found from early July through early September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The moth is native to North America and has also been recorded in Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 25 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Oklahoma.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae of the peacock brenthia moth eat?
The larvae feed on Desmodium species, which are members of the bean family.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
In Illinois it produces at least two generations annually.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the peacock brenthia moth found?
It occurs in several U.S. states such as Illinois, Maryland, Iowa, Oklahoma and South Carolina, and also in Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Choreutidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenthia_pavonacella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.