Bug FAQSweetgum Leafroller Moth
Sciota uvinella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Pyralidae
Source: Wikipedia
It lives in the eastern United States from New Jersey down to Florida and west to Texas and Kentucky. Adults are active from spring through early fall. The caterpillars eat the leaves of sweetgum trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in North America, recorded from New Jersey to Florida and west to Texas and Kentucky.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the leaves of the sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua).
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 27 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Maryland, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Delaware, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What trees do Sweetgum Leafroller Moth larvae damage?
The larvae feed on sweetgum tree leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyralidae)
Indian-Meal MothPlodia interpunctellaCan damage your home
Greater Wax MothGalleria mellonella
Mediterranean Flour MothEphestia kuehniellaCan damage your home
Meal mothPyralis farinalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bee MothAphomia sociellaNuisance, not dangerous
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia MothHypsopygia olinalisSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciota_uvinella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.