Bug FAQSix-toothed Aethes
Aethes sexdentata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
The six-toothed Aethes moth has forewings 5.7 to 8.2 mm long (about a quarter of an inch). It lives in openings of deciduous forests and in blueberry thickets across many parts of North America, from eastern Canada to the northern United States and the Midwest. Adults fly from May through August, likely producing one generation each year, while the larvae feed on goldenrod (Solidago) plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Six-toothed Aethes is a moth in the Tortricidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Forewing length ranges from 5.7 to 8.2 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers openings in deciduous forests and blueberry thickets.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on plants of the Solidago genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to August, probably in a single yearly generation.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the months of May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found in North America, including Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and many U.S. states such as Connecticut, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maryland.
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
When can I see adult six-toothed Aethes moths?
Adults are active from May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae of six-toothed Aethes eat?
The caterpillars feed on Solidago (goldenrod) species.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aster and Reddish Eucosma Moths and AlliesEucosma parmatanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aethes_sexdentata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.