Bug FAQSlowpoke Moth
Athetis tarda · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: The Slowpoke
The slowpoke moth (Athetis tarda) belongs to the Noctuidae family and has a wingspan of about 23 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Athetis tarda, known as the slowpoke moth, is a member of the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 23 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in oak woodland habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on dead oak (Quercus) leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The moth has two flight periods each year: spring and late summer.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Connecticut, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
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/Athetis_tarda
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.