Bug FAQSkullcap Skeletonizer Moth
Prochoreutis inflatella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Choreutidae
The skullcap skeletonizer moth is a tiny Choreutidae species with a wingspan of about 9 to 11 mm. Its larvae feed on skullcap plants (Scutellaria), appearing in early spring and developing in a white silk cocoon before the adults fly from June through September.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Prochoreutis inflatella belongs to the family Choreutidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan ranges from 9 to 11 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in the eastern part of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars eat leaves of skullcap species such as Scutellaria lateriflora.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
First caterpillars show up in March, soon after the host plant starts growing, and they spin a multi-layered white silk cocoon before pupating. Adults are on the wing from June to September, with several generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
You can see adult moths flying between June and September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Alabama.
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 are adult skullcap skeletonizer moths active?
Adults are active from June through September.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on skullcap plants, including Scutellaria lateriflora.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Choreutidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prochoreutis_inflatella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.