Bug FAQSordid Snout
Hypena sordidula · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Sordid Bomolocha, Sordid Hypena
The sordid snout moth has a wingspan of about 24 to 30 mm. It lives across much of North America, from eastern Canada and the northeastern United States down to northern Florida and Texas, and west to Kansas and Manitoba. Its caterpillars feed on plants in the Laportea genus.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The species is called Hypena sordidula, also known as the sordid hypena or sordid bomolocha moth, and belongs to the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan ranging from 24 to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on plants of the Laportea genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There are two generations of this moth each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers much of North America, including eastern Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana.
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 the sordid snout moth?
Adults fly from May to August, so you are most likely to see them during those months.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It produces two generations per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypena_sordidula
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.