Bug FAQSeaside Goldenrod Borer Moth
Papaipema duovata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Seaside Golden Borer Moth, Seaside Goldenrod Borer, Seaside Goldenrod Stem Borer
The seaside goldenrod borer moth has a wingspan of about 36 mm and is dusky brown with distinctive white spots. It lives along the coastal plain from the Gulf Coast up to New Jersey and is listed as threatened in Connecticut. Adults are on the wing mainly in October, and the larvae bore into the stems of seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens).
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is about 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae bore into the stems of seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are mainly on wing in October.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are mainly on wing in October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Papaipema duovata is native to North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina.
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
When are adult seaside goldenrod borer moths active?
Adults are mainly on wing in October.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae feed on?
The larvae bore into the stems of seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens).
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/Papaipema_duovata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.