Bug FAQSpotted Apatelodes Moth
Apatelodes torrefacta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Apatelodidae
Also called: Spotted Apatelodes
Source: Wikipedia
The spotted apatelodes moth has a wingspan of about 3 to 4 cm and is found across much of the United States and southern Canada. Its caterpillars start gray and turn bright yellow as they grow, and the adults fly from May through August, with one or two generations per year depending on the region. The larvae feed on ash, plum, maple and oak species, which can harm those trees in gardens and forests.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Caterpillars begin gray and become bright yellow as they mature.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult moth’s wingspan ranges from 32 to 42 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae eat leaves of ash, plum, maple and oak trees.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Moths are on the wing between May and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the same area: Maine, southern Ontario, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The spotted apatelodes belongs to the family Apatelodidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Alabama, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Can they damage my garden trees?
Yes, the caterpillars feed on ash, plum, maple and oak leaves, which can harm those trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatelodes_torrefacta
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.