Bug FAQSmall Bird-dropping Moth
Ponometia erastrioides (formerly Acontia erastrioides) · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The small bird-dropping moth has a wingspan of about 16 to 20 mm and belongs to the Noctuidae family. Adults fly from May through September, while the caterpillars grow to about 25 mm and feed on Ambrosia plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Ponometia erastrioides, also called the small bird-dropping moth, is a member of the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges from 16 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits fields, waste areas and riparian zones.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on plants of the Ambrosia genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to September. Full-grown caterpillars reach about 25 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 39 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult small bird-dropping moths active?
Adults fly from May until September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this moth?
It lives in fields, waste places and near water in the eastern US and south-central Canada.
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/Ponometia_erastrioides
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.