Bug FAQUnsated Sallow
Metaxaglaea inulta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Arrowwood Sallow, Virbunum Sallow
The unsated sallow (Metaxaglaea inulta) is a moth in the Noctuidae family with a wingspan of about 40 to 48 mm. It lives from Nova Scotia down to North Carolina, west to Missouri and north to Manitoba, and its adults fly from late August through November, sometimes into January. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of various Viburnum species such as V. dentatum, V. lentago and V. lantana.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Metaxaglaea inulta, known as the unsated sallow or arrowwood sallow, belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 40 to 48 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat the leaves of Viburnum species, including V. dentatum, V. lentago and V. lantana.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from late August through November and can sometimes be seen as late as January.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period extends from late summer into late fall, occasionally reaching winter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 26 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are unsated sallow moths active?
Adults fly from late August through November and sometimes into January.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae feed on?
The caterpillars eat the leaves of Viburnum species such as V. dentatum, V. lentago and V. lantana.
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/Metaxaglaea_inulta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.