Bug FAQThin-winged Owlet
Nigetia formosalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Thin-winged Owlet Moth
The thin-winged owlet moth (Nigetia formosalis) has a wingspan of about 19 mm. It lives in scattered spots across eastern North America, from Ontario and Connecticut down to Florida and Texas. Its larvae have been raised on Protococcus algae and probably also eat lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 19 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in scattered locations throughout eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae have been reared on Protococcus species and likely also feed on lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In the north there is one generation per year, while in the south there are two or more generations.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes eastern Canada and the eastern United States, from Ontario to Connecticut and south to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Maryland.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the thin-winged owlet moth look like?
It is a small moth with a wingspan of about 19 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this moth?
It occurs in scattered spots across eastern North America, from Ontario and Connecticut down to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on Protococcus algae and probably also on lichens.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigetia
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.