Bug FAQReaper Dart
Euxoa messoria · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Dark-sided Cutworm, Darksided Cutworm, Reaper Dart Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The reaper dart moth has a wingspan of about 32 to 36 mm. It lives across Canada and the northern United States, from Newfoundland to Yukon and south to Virginia, Missouri, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Its caterpillars eat the leaves of apple trees, cultivated vegetables and flowers, which can harm gardens and crops.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Euxoa messoria, called the dark-sided cutworm or reaper dart, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan ranging from 32 to 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The moth produces one generation each year and flies from July to September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing between July and September, varying with region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes much of Canada and the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and down to the southwestern states.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Minnesota, Colorado.
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 plants does the reaper dart damage?
Its caterpillars eat leaves of apple trees, garden vegetables and flowers, which can harm those plants.
Source: Wikipedia
When are reaper dart moths active?
Adults are active from July through September, depending on where they live.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find reaper dart moths?
They occur across Canada and the northern United States, from Newfoundland to Yukon and south to states such as Virginia, Missouri, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
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/Euxoa_messoria
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.