Bug FAQSpotted Oleander Moth
Empyreuma pugione · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth
The spotted oleander moth has a wingspan of about 43 to 48 mm and is light orange and hairy. It lives in the West Indies, up to 733 m elevation, and has been introduced to Florida, where the caterpillars feed on oleander and possibly other Caribbean Apocynaceae plants. Adults are day-flying insects.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults are light orange and covered in hairs.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 43 to 48 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the West Indies at elevations up to 733 m and has been introduced to Florida, USA.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on Nerium oleander and likely on other Caribbean Apocynaceae such as Thevetia, Plumeria, Mandevilla, or Tabernaemontana.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larvae feed on oleander and related Apocynaceae plants before pupating into adults.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the day.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is the West Indies.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Kansas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae of the spotted oleander moth eat?
The larvae feed on Nerium oleander and probably on other Caribbean Apocynaceae species such as Thevetia, Plumeria, Mandevilla, or Tabernaemontana.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the spotted oleander moth found?
It is native to the West Indies, has been collected up to 733 m elevation, and has been introduced to Florida, USA.
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 acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empyreuma_pugione
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.