Bug FAQScarlet-winged Lichen Moth
Hypoprepia miniata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The scarlet-winged lichen moth measures about 14 to 17 mm across its forewings. It lives across much of North America, from British Columbia down the western Rockies to Arizona and Texas, and also throughout eastern North America. Caterpillars feed on tree-growing lichens, especially on pines.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Hypoprepia miniata, known as the scarlet-winged lichen moth, belongs to the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewing length ranges from 14 to 17 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found from British Columbia south along the western Rockies to Arizona and Texas, and also across eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat lichens that grow on tree bark, preferring pine trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species spends the winter in the larval stage.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from July to August in western areas and from April to September in eastern areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes western Canada and the United States as well as eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 40 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Montana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on lichens that grow on trees, especially on pines.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult scarlet-winged lichen moths?
In the west they are on the wing in July and August; in the east they appear from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are scarlet-winged lichen moths found?
They occur from British Columbia down the western Rockies to Arizona and Texas, and throughout eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoprepia_miniata
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.