Bug FAQPickerelweed Borer Moth
Bellura densa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Pickerelweed Diver Moth, pickerelweed borer
The Pickerelweed Borer Moth has a wingspan of about 35 to 50 mm. It lives in wetlands from Maryland down to southern Florida and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Its caterpillars feed on wetland plants such as cattail, pickerelweed, and water hyacinth.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 35 mm to 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in wetland areas across the southeastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat various wetland plants, including species of Typha, Pontederia, and Eichhornia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae of the Pickerelweed Borer Moth feed on?
The larvae feed on wetland plants such as cattail, pickerelweed, and water hyacinth.
Source: Wikipedia
How large does the Pickerelweed Borer Moth get?
Its wingspan is between 35 and 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Pickerelweed Borer Moth found?
It occurs from Maryland to southern Florida and west to Indiana and Louisiana.
Source: Wikipedia
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/Bellura_densa
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.