Bug FAQRelic Dune and Burgess' Apamea Moths
Apamea burgessi · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Burgess' Apamea Moth, Burgess's apamea
The moth has a wingspan of about 38 to 40 mm and its forewings are streaked tan and gray with white hindwings. It is native to central North America, occurring across the Great Plains and Great Basin, and flies in September and October.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewings are streaked tan and gray, and the hindwings are white.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures roughly 38 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives on the Great Plains and Great Basin of central North America.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing in September and October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to central North America, especially the Great Plains and Great Basin.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 25 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Iowa.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
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/Apamea_burgessi
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.