Bug FAQWaterlily Borer Moth
Elophila gyralis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Waterlily Borer
The waterlily borer moth belongs to the Crambidae family. Its wingspan ranges from about 16 to 30 mm. It lives in eastern North America and adults can be seen flying all year in the southern part of that range.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Elophila gyralis is the scientific name of the waterlily borer moth.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan measures between 16 and 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults have been recorded on the wing throughout the year in the southern part of its range.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan, Texas, Maryland, Ohio, Alabama, Pennsylvania.
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
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elophila_gyralis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.