Bug FAQPolymorphic Pondweed Moth
Parapoynx maculalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
The Polymorphic Pondweed Moth has a wingspan of about 18 to 22 mm. Adults have white forewings dusted with dark brown near the base and a dark spot at the fold, while the hindwings are pure white. The species lives around ponds and streams in eastern North America, from many U.S. states to eastern Canadian provinces.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are white with fuscous dusting at the base and a fuscous spot near the fold; hindwings are pure white.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 18 to 22 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in ponds and streams.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on various aquatic plants. Young larvae are light yellow-brown with a darker yellow-brown head.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species was first described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1860.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Occurs in eastern North America, recorded from many U.S. states and eastern Canadian provinces.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Michigan, Florida, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island.
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 adult moths look like?
Adults have white forewings dusted with dark brown near the base and a dark spot at the fold, while the hindwings are pure white.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae look like?
Young larvae are light yellow-brown with a darker yellow-brown head.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does this moth live?
It lives around ponds and streams in eastern North America, recorded from many U.S. states and eastern Canadian provinces.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapoynx_maculalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.