Bug FAQZigzag Herpetogramma Moth
Herpetogramma thestealis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Also called: Zigzag Herpetogramma
Source: Wikipedia
The Zigzag Herpetogramma moth has a wingspan of about 29 to 38 mm. Adults show sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females look different. It lives across most of North America, and its larvae eat a variety of woody plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males and females can be distinguished by their appearance.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 29 to 38 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found throughout most of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes most of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Minnesota, New York.
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
What plants do the caterpillars eat?
The caterpillars feed on woody plants such as basswood, hazel, Carolina silverbell and spikenard.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Zigzag Herpetogramma moth found?
It occurs across most of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Can I tell males and females apart?
Yes, adults are sexually dimorphic, so males and females look different.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
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/Herpetogramma_thestealis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.