Bug FAQSorghum Webworm Moth
Nola cereella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Nolidae
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of about 12 to 18 mm. They occur from Texas and Florida up to New York and further south through Puerto Rico, Suriname to Argentina. Adults are on the wing from July through September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It belongs to the Noctuidae group and shows tufted scales on its wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges between 12 and 18 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Its range continues south through Puerto Rico, Suriname and down to Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on sorghum (Sorghum vulgare).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from July to September, varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults appear on the wing between July and September, depending on where they are found.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the southeastern United States, from Texas to Florida and up to New York. From North America it extends southward through Puerto Rico, Suriname to Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is related to Noctuidae moths and has tufted scales, which can resemble other tuft moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Alabama, Maryland, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do sorghum webworm moth larvae damage?
The larvae feed on sorghum (Sorghum vulgare).
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult sorghum webworm moths active?
Adults are on the wing from July through September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find sorghum webworm moths?
They occur from Texas and Florida up to New York and further south through Puerto Rico, Suriname to Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Nolidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nola_cereella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.