Bug FAQThurberia Bollworm
Thurberiphaga diffusa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The caterpillars are pinkish and have rough hairs, and they tunnel inside the stems of their host plant. They feed only on wild cotton (Gossypium thurberi) and are found exclusively in southern Arizona. Adult moths are on the wing from July through September.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The caterpillar is pinkish in color and covered with rough setae. It bores into the stem of its host plant.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs only in southern Arizona, United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The only plant it uses as a food source is wild cotton (Gossypium thurberi).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larva is pinkish and has rough hairs.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from July to September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range is limited to southern Arizona in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plant does Thurberiphaga diffusa feed on?
Its larvae feed only on wild cotton (Gossypium thurberi).
Source: Wikipedia
When are the adult moths active?
Adults are on the wing from July through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find Thurberiphaga diffusa?
It is found only in southern Arizona, United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What does the caterpillar look like?
The caterpillar is pinkish and covered with rough hairs.
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/Thurberiphaga
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.