Bug FAQTawny Virbia Moth
Virbia opella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Tawny Holomelina Moth, Tawny Virbia
The tawny virbia moth (Virbia opella) belongs to the family Erebidae. Forewings measure about 11 mm in males and 12 mm in females. It lives in oak and scrub-oak forests across the United States from Maine to Illinois and south to Texas, with larvae that can be raised on dandelions.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Virbia opella is a moth in the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits oak forests and scrub oak forests.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae have been reared on dandelion species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There are multiple generations per year through most of its range.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Arkansas, New Hampshire.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It produces multiple generations per year across most of its range, and in Louisiana three generations appear from November to February.
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/Virbia_opella
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.