Bug FAQTen-spotted Honeysuckle Moth
Athrips mouffetella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gelechiidae
Also called: Dotted Grey Groundling
The ten-spotted honeysuckle moth has a wingspan of about 15 mm and its forewings are light ashy brown with faint rosy tones, sprinkled with tiny black dots and distinct black stigmata. It occurs from central and northern Europe across the Urals to Siberia and the Russian Far East, and has also been recorded in North America; adults fly from June to August depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are light ashy brown with faint rosy tinges, speckled with tiny black dots near the base and along the edge. Black stigmata and a dot beneath the second discal spot are present; the first discal spot lies beyond the plical spot. Hindwings are grey.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is about 15 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on honeysuckle species such as Lonicera periclymenum, L. xylosteum and L. caprifolium, and also on Symphoricarpos albus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from June to August, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Moths are active during the summer months, typically June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range extends from central and northern Europe across the Urals to Siberia and the Russian Far East.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New York, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota.
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
When can I see adult ten-spotted honeysuckle moths?
Adults fly from June to August, depending on where you are.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on various honeysuckle species and on Symphoricarpos albus.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize this moth?
Look for a small moth about 15 mm wide with light ashy-brown forewings that have faint rosy tones, tiny black dots, and distinct black stigmata; the hindwings are grey.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gelechiidae)
Angoumois Grain MothSitotroga cerealellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Boxelder Leafworm MothChionodes obscurusella
Hairy, Toothed, and Shining Dichomeris Moths and AlliesDichomeris setosella
Black-smudged Chionodes Moth and AlliesChionodes occidentellaBlack-smudged Chionodes MothChionodes mediofuscella
Inverse and Kimball's Dichomeris MothsDichomeris inversellaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athrips_mouffetella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.