Bug FAQTwo-spotted Chionodes Moth
Chionodes bicostomaculella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gelechiidae
The Two-spotted Chionodes moth has dark forewings with ochreous spots on the leading edge near the base and near the wing tip, plus irregular blackish patches that form vague transverse bands. It lives in North America, recorded from states such as Vermont, Michigan, Florida and Texas. Its caterpillars feed on oak trees (Quercus species).
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are dark brown or blackish with mixed ochreous and grey, showing a small ochreous spot near the wing base and a distinct one near the cilia, plus a matching spot on the dorsal side. Several undefined blackish spots create three vague transverse bands, each linked to the costal ochreous spots.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in North America, from Vermont and Michigan down to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on oak trees (Quercus species).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 16 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Mississippi, Michigan, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, New York, Tennessee, Georgia.
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 do the larvae of the Two-spotted Chionodes moth eat?
The caterpillars feed on oak trees (Quercus species).
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Two-spotted Chionodes moth found?
It has been recorded across North America, from Vermont and Michigan down to Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize a Two-spotted Chionodes moth?
Look for dark forewings with ochreous spots near the base and near the wing tip, plus irregular blackish patches that form vague transverse bands.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gelechiidae)
Angoumois Grain MothSitotroga cerealellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Black-smudged Chionodes MothChionodes mediofuscella
Inverse and Kimball's Dichomeris MothsDichomeris inversella
Pink-washed Aristotelia MothAristotelia roseosuffusella
White Stripe-backed MothArogalea cristifasciella
Burdock Seedhead MothMetzneria lappellaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chionodes_bicostomaculella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.