Bug FAQPink-bordered Yellow
Phytometra rhodarialis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The pink-bordered yellow (Phytometra rhodarialis) is a small moth with a wingspan of about 20 mm. It is found from southern Ontario and the northern United States down to Florida and Texas, and its caterpillars feed on Polygala species.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Phytometra rhodarialis, called the pink-bordered yellow, belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan is about 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives from southern Ontario and parts of the northern US down to Florida and Texas, sometimes appearing farther north as a stray.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat plants in the Polygala genus, such as Polygala lutea and Polygala mariana.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In places like Ohio and New Jersey it can have two or more generations per year, with even more generations farther south.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range extends from southern Ontario through the central and eastern United States to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, 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 do the larvae of the pink-bordered yellow eat?
The larvae feed on Polygala species, including Polygala lutea and Polygala mariana.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
In Ohio and New Jersey there are two or more generations per year, and even more generations occur farther south.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the pink-bordered yellow found?
It occurs from southern Ontario and the northern United States down to Florida and Texas, sometimes straying farther north.
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/Phytometra_rhodarialis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.