Bug FAQSociable Pyrausta Moth and Allies
Pyrausta fodinalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Coyote-mint Pyrausta
The Sociable Pyrausta Moth has a wingspan of about 22 to 25 mm and lives in undisturbed prairie and grassland areas across North America. Its larvae feed on the plant Monardella villosa, and adults are active from June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It belongs to the moth family Crambidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 22 to 25 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in undisturbed prairie and grassland habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the plant Monardella villosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The moth is active during the summer months, June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes North America, from British Columbia to Quebec and the northeastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It may be confused with other Crambidae moths, but it is itself a member of that family.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Montana, California, Oregon, Utah, Michigan, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts.
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
What do the larvae of the Sociable Pyrausta Moth eat?
The larvae feed on Monardella villosa.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult Sociable Pyrausta Moths?
Adults are on the wing from June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrausta_fodinalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.