Bug FAQPink Star Moth
Derrima stellata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The pink star moth has a wingspan of about 21 to 30 mm. Adults fly in two periods each year to from April to May and again from July to August to producing two generations annually. It lives in maritime sand dunes and heathland across the eastern United States, from southern Maine down to Florida and westward to Missouri and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults are on the wing in spring (April-May) and again in midsummer (July-August).
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The species’ wingspan ranges between 21 and 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits maritime sand dunes and heathland in the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars collected and reared by Sam Jaffe were identified as larvae of the pink star moth.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There are two generations each year, with adults flying in April-May and July-August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during two seasonal windows: April to May and July to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 19 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: endemic in United States; native in North America. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see pink star moths?
You’ll find adults flying in the spring (April-May) and again in midsummer (July-August).
Source: Wikipedia
Where do pink star moths live?
They are found in maritime sand dunes and heathland across the eastern United States, from Maine down to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas.
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/Derrima_stellata
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.