Bug FAQWatson's Arugisa Moth
Arugisa latiorella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Watson's Arugisa
The Watson's Arugisa Moth has a wingspan of about 18 to 22 mm. It lives in North America, ranging from Florida and Texas up to Kansas and Maryland. Adults can be seen flying from January through November, and the caterpillars eat both living and dead Kentucky bluegrass.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan measures roughly 18 to 22 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on both live and dead Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis).
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from January until November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is recorded across the United States from Florida and Texas northward to Kansas and Maryland.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 16 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Watson's Arugisa Moths active?
You can find adults flying any time between January and November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found in the United States?
It has been recorded from Florida and Texas up to Kansas and Maryland.
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arugisa_latiorella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.