The Snout

Hypena proboscidalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae

Also called: Snout

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
The Snout
Photo: SteveM4560, CC BY

Females are usually brownish while males are grey, and the forewings show dark transverse lines and a brown-yellow tint in females.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

Forewings are grey-brown with many dark cross-lines; females have a brown-yellow wash and both sexes show dark brown lines and cloudy subterminal markings.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Wingspan ranges from 25 to 38 mm.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

Found in deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests, as well as near rivers, hedges, gardens and parkland.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Caterpillars feed on hop, nettle, ground-elder and Stachys species.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

Adults are on the wing in two generations from May through September.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

Active period is May to September, covering two broods.

Source: Wikipedia

Lookalikes

Similar species include Hypena tatorhina from Japan, which is smaller and grey in both sexes, and forms like flexilinea and indicalis from western China that differ in shading and size.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

The Snout photo 3
Photo: unknown, CC0
The Snout photo 4
Photo: J Castillo, CC BY
The Snout photo 5
Photo: Emilio Taggi, CC BY
The Snout photo 6
Photo: unknown, CC0

Questions people ask

How can I identify a Snout moth?

Look for a 25 to 38 mm wingspan, grey-brown forewings with dark cross-lines, and a brown-yellow tint on females; males are usually plain grey.

Source: Wikipedia

When are Snout moths active?

They fly in two generations from May to September.

Source: Wikipedia

What do Snout moth caterpillars eat?

The larvae feed on hop, nettle, ground-elder and Stachys plants.

Source: Wikipedia

Where might I find Snout moths?

They live in a variety of habitats such as forests, riverbanks, hedges, gardens and parkland across Europe and much of the Palearctic region.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Erebidae)

Spongy MothSpongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or cropsFall Webworm MothFall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or cropsBrown-tail MothBrown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skinIsabella Tiger MothIsabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabellaVirginian Tiger MothVirginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skinSalt Marsh MothSalt Marsh MothEstigmene acrea

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypena_proboscidalis

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.

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