Bug FAQVariable Sallow
Sericaglaea signata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Source: Wikipedia
The variable sallow has a wingspan of about 35 to 43 mm. Adults are on the wing from October through May, overwintering as adults and producing one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 35 to 43 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat the leaves of oak (Quercus), plum (Prunus) and linden (Tilia) trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults emerge in October, remain active through May, and overwinter as adults, producing one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New Jersey, Maryland, Alabama, Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio.
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
When are adult variable sallows active?
Adults are active from October through May and overwinter as adults.
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/Sericaglaea_signata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.