Bug FAQPink-barred Pseudeustrotia Moth
Pseudeustrotia carneola · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Pink-barred Lithacodia Moth, Pink-barred Lithacodia, Pink-barred Pseudeustrotia
The pink-barred Pseudeustrotia moth has a wingspan of about 20 to 24 mm and belongs to the Noctuidae family. It lives on woodland edges, moist meadows and grasslands, and can be found across much of North America from eastern Canada to the western United States and down to the Gulf of Mexico. Larvae feed on plants such as dock, knotweed and goldenrod, while adults are active from May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
This species is known as the pink-barred lithacodia moth and is a member of the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 20 to 24 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers woodland edges, mesic meadows and grassland areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on Rumex species (including Rumex patientia), Polygonum, and Solidago.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults spans May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a Noctuidae moth, sometimes confused with other similar noctuid species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 40 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Wisconsin, Vermont, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
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/Pseudeustrotia_carneola
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.