Bug FAQThree-lined Flower Moth
Schinia trifascia · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The three-lined flower moth has a wingspan of about 20 to 31 mm. Adults fly from July through October and there is one generation each year. The species lives across much of North America, from Ontario and Massachusetts down to Florida and west to Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and also Louisiana.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Schinia trifascia, called the three-lined flower moth, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 20 to 31 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Records also show it in Louisiana.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on plants such as Brickellia, Eupatorium and Liatris.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is a single generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from July through October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The moth is native to North America, occurring from Canada through the United States as far west as Arizona and Wyoming. It has additionally been reported from Louisiana.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a member of the Noctuidae family, like many other moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 38 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Alabama, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Mississippi, 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
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/Schinia_trifascia
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.