Bug FAQVestal Tiger Moth
Spilosoma vestalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The Vestal tiger-moth (Spilosoma vestalis) belongs to the family Erebidae. Its forewings measure about 19 to 26 mm in length. Adults fly in May and June along the western North American coast from California up to Washington and into western Idaho.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Spilosoma vestalis is a moth in the family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewing length ranges from 19 to 26 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on plants such as red alder (Alnus rubra) and Garry oak (Quercus garryana).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May through June.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults is May to June.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is the western coast of North America, covering California, Washington and western Idaho.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 9 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Florida, New Jersey, Virginia.
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 Vestal tiger-moths active?
Adults are active and can be seen flying in May and June.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on red alder and Garry oak among other plants.
Source: Wikipedia
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/Spilosoma_vestalis
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.