Bug FAQPrimrose Moth
Schinia florida · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The primrose moth has a wingspan of about 30 mm. Adults have a pink head, a pale yellow-to-creamy white body, pink forewings with pale yellow markings, and creamy-white hindwings. It occurs across most of temperate North America except the west coast, is nocturnal, and often rests in evening-primrose flowers during the day.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is about 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Eggs are laid on the buds of evening-primroses, which serve as the larval host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation per year, with adult flight timed to the bud development of its host plants; eggs hatch in 4 to 5 days, larvae pass through five instars, then burrow into the ground to pupate and overwinter.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The adult flight period coincides with the bud development of evening-primroses, occurring once each year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do primrose moth caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on the buds of evening-primroses (Oenothera spp.).
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult primrose moths active?
Adults are nocturnal and rest in evening-primrose flowers during daylight hours.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does the primrose moth have each year?
It produces one generation per year, timed to the host plant’s bud development.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the primrose moth found?
It occurs across most of temperate North America, except the west coast.
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/Schinia_florida
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.