Bug FAQWheat Head Armyworm
Dargida diffusa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Wheat Head Armyworm Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The wheat head armyworm is a moth in the Noctuidae family with a wingspan of 27 to 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is a moth in the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from about 27 to 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in most of North America, but not in Yukon or Alaska.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from May through September, varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range covers most of North America, excluding Yukon and Alaska.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 43 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Michigan, Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Kansas, Massachusetts.
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 the adult wheat head armyworms active?
Adults fly from May to September, depending on where they are found.
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/Dargida_diffusa
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.