Bug FAQVariable Fan-foot
Zanclognatha laevigata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Variable Zanclognatha, Variable Zanclognatha Moth
The adult has a wingspan of about 30 mm (1.2 in). It lives across North America, from Manitoba and Nova Scotia down to Florida and Missouri. The caterpillars eat dead leaves and other plant detritus. There is one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan of roughly 30 mm (1.2 in).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on detritus such as dead leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers much of eastern Canada and the United States, from Manitoba and Nova Scotia down to Florida and Missouri.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Michigan.
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
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclognatha_laevigata
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.