Bug FAQPine Barrens Fan-foot
Zanclognatha martha · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Pine Barrens Fanfoot, Pine Barrens Zanclognatha, Pine Barrens Zanclognatha Moth
The pine barrens fan-foot has a wingspan of about 25 mm. Its caterpillars feed on decaying leaves of scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia). In the north it produces one generation per year, while farther south it can have two.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Zanclognatha martha is a litter moth in the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures roughly 25 mm (about 1 inch).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae consume decomposing leaves of scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
One generation is produced in Connecticut and Missouri, while two generations occur in southern regions.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to the United States, spanning the eastern and central states listed above.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 21 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Louisiana, North Carolina, Michigan, Mississippi, Georgia, Maine.
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 do the larvae of the pine barrens fan-foot eat?
The caterpillars feed on decaying leaves of scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia).
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
In the north it has one generation per year, while in the south it can have two.
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclognatha_martha
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.