Bug FAQSparganothis Fruitworm Moth
Sparganothis sulfureana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Also called: Sparganothis Fruitworm, Sulfur Sparganothis
Source: Wikipedia
The adult moth has a wingspan of about 10 to 20 millimetres. It lives in most of eastern North America and also on Cuba. Its caterpillars eat a variety of herbaceous and woody plants, including corn and cranberry.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 10 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on many forbs and woody plants, notably corn and cranberry.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Found throughout eastern North America and on Cuba.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 44 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Maryland, Alabama, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Does the sparganothis fruitworm moth damage crops?
Yes, its larvae eat crops such as corn and cranberry, which can cause damage.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Filbertworm MothCydia latiferreanaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparganothis_sulfureana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.