Moths of the North Coast & Cascades

Moths are insects and members of the taxonomic order of Lepidoptera. They and their larvae provide food for other insects, fish, and animals, and they are pollinators for many nocturnally flowering plants. Most moths are active at night and pale in color, but those that are active in the day are brightly colored and may look like a butterfly. You can distinguish moths from butterflies by examining their antennae - butterflies have thin and antennae with a knob on the end; moths do not have a knob and are often feathery. Over the last five years, parks in the North Coast and Cascades Network have conducted Bioblitzes to begin developing species lists of moths in our parks. For more information you can also go to: http://pnwmoths.biol.wwu.edu/.

Miller Moths (Cossidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Acossus populi	Aspen carpenterworm	Poplar, esp. quaking aspen		x

Hook-tip Moths (Drepanidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Drepana arcuata	Arched hooktip	Alders		x
Drepana bilineata	Two-lined hooktip	Alders, birch, poplar		x
Habrosyne scripta	Lettered Habrosyne	Birches, raspberry (Rubus)		x
Pseudothyatira cymatophoroides	Tufted Thyatirin	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Choristoneura rosaceana	Oblique-banded leafroller	Many shrubs and trees		x

Lettered habrosyne, or scribe, moth (Habrosyne scripta)

NPS / D.L. Strenge

Underwings, Litter Moths, Tiger Moths, Tussock Moths, etc. (Erebidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Arctia caja	Great tiger moth	Many different plants			x
Clemensia albata	Little white lichen moth	Tree lichens and algae		x
Lophocampa argentata	Silver-spotted tiger moth	Douglas-fir and other conifers, some other plants		x	x
Lophocampa maculata	Spotted tussock moth	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x	x
Platarctia parthenos	St. Lawrence tiger moth	Alder, aspen, birch, willow		x
Platyprepia virginalis	Ranchman's tiger moth	Many herbs				x
Pyrrharctia isabella	Banded woolly-bear (L); Isabella tiger moth (A)	Many herbs and trees	x		x
Tyria jacobaeae*	Cinnabar moth	Tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) and other native Senecio				x
Drasteria sabulosa		Willows		x
Zale lunata	Lunate zale	Many shrubs, including Rubus, and some herbs		x
Zanclognatha jacchusalis	Wavy-lined Zanclognatha	Dead leaves		x
Hypena palparia	Mottled Hypena	Broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Dasychira grisefacta	Grizzled tussock moth	Conifers (Pinaceae)		x

* = non-native

Silver-spotted tiger moth (Lophocampa argentata)

NPS / D.L. Strenge

Geometer Moths (Geometridae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Archiearis infans	The infant	Birches (Betula)			x
Biston betularia	Pepper and salt geometer	Many shrubs and trees, some herbs		x
Cabera erythemaria	Yellow-dusted cream	Willow, birch, poplar, blueberry (Vaccinium)			x
Campaea perlata	Pale beauty	Many different shrubs and trees		x	x
Caripeta divisata	Gray spruce looper	Conifers (Pinaceae)		x
Ennomos magnaria	Maple spanworm	Many deciduous shrbus and trees			x
Enypia packardata	Packard's girdle	Many conifers		x
Enypia venata	Variable girdle	Several conifers			x
Euchlaena johnsonaria	Johnson's Euchlaena	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Euchlaena trigrinaria	Mottled Euchlaena	Poplar, birch, and many other shrubs and trees		x
Hypagyrtis unipunctata	One-spotted variant	Many shrubs and trees		x
Iridopsis emasculatum		Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x	x
Macaria notata	Birch angle	Birch and alder		x
Macaria signaria	Pale-marked angle	Many coniferous trees		x
Melanolophia imitata	Western carpet	Many coniferous trees			x
Nematocampa resistaria	Horned spanworm	Broadleaved and coniferous shrubs and trees		x
Neoalcis californiaria	Brown-lined looper	Douglas-fir and other conifers; broadleaved trees and shrubs			x
Nepytia phantasmaria	Phantom hemlock looper	Western hemlock, Douglas-fir, and other conifers	x
Pero mizon		Many broadleaved shrubs and trees, also conifers		x	x
Pero morrisonaria	Morrison's Pero	Conifers (Pinaceae) as well as broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Pero occidentalis	Western Pero	Conifers (Pinaceae) as well as broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Plagodis phlogosaria	Straight-lined Plagodis	Broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Prochoerodes forficaria				x
Protoboarmia percelaria	Porcelain gray	Conifers (Pinaceae) as well as broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Sabulodes aegrotata	Omnivorous looper	Many herbs and trees	x
Selenia alciphearia	Northern Selenia	Broadleaved shrubs and trees, including willow and alder		x
Speranza lorquinaria	Lorquin's angle	Broadleaved shrubs (alder, willow) and trees, and some conifers			x
Speranza plumosata		Maple		x
Tetracis jubararia	October thorn	Many broadleaved shrubs			x
Antepirrhoe fasciata		Plants including fireweed and huckleberry		x
Anticlea vasiliata	Variable carpet	Raspberry (Rubus), rose (Rosa)			x
Ceratodalia gueneata				x
Coryphista meadii	Barberry geometer	Barberry (Berberis)		x
Dysstroma citrata	Dark marbled carpet	Alder, willow, raspberries (Rubus), and other plants		x
Dysstroma sobria	10-spotted Rhododendron moth	Rhododendron, Salal			x
Dysstroma truncata	Marbled carpet	Shrubs such as alders, willows, and also herbs			x
Enchoria lacteata					x
Epirrhoe alternata	White-banded toothed carpet	Bedstraw (Galium)		x
Epirrhoe plebeculata		Bedstraw (Galium)			x
Epirrita autumnata	Autumnal moth	Many conifers and alder, willow, birch, poplar			x
Eulithis xylina	Northwestern phoenix moth	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Euphyia intermediata	Sharp-angled carpet	Many herbs and some trees			x
Eupithecia cretaceata		False hellebore (Veratrum viride)		x
Eupithecia graefii	Graef's pug	Heath family (Ericaceae)		x
Eupithecia longipalpata		Firs, spruces, hemlocks			x
Eupithecia tripunctaria	White-spotted pug	Parsley family (Apiaceae)		x
Hydriomena furcata	July highflyer moth	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees			x
Hydriomena marinata		Conifers (Pinaceae)		x
Hydriomena renunciata	Renounced Hydriomena			x
Hydriomena speciosata		Conifers (Pinaceae)			x
Mesoleuca gratulata	Western white-ribboned carpet	Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) and Rubus			x
Operophtera bruceata	Bruce spanworm	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees			x
Perizoma costiguttata		Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor)		x
Perizoma grandis				x
Plemyria georgii	George's carpet moth	Alder, willow, birch		x
Stamnodes blackmorei					x
Triphosa haesitata	Tissue moth	Buckthorn (Rhamnus)	x		x
Venusia cambrica	Welsh wave	Various shrubs and trees including willow and alder		x
Xanthorhoe defensaria		Possibly Rubus?			x
Cyclophora pendulinaria	Sweetfern geometer	Various shrubs, trees, and herbs		x
Idaea dimidiata*	Single-dotted wave	Many herbs		x
Scopula junctaria	Simple wave	Many plants		x

* = non-native

Dark marbled carpet (Dysstroma citrata) moth

NPS / D.L. Strenge

Eggars (Lasiocampidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Malacosoma californicum	Western tent caterpillar	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x	x
Malacosoma disstria	Forest tent caterpillar	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees			x
Phyllodesma americana	Lappet moth	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x	x

Owlet Moths (Noctuidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Acronicta dactylina	Fingered dagger	Alder, willow, cottonwood, birch, poplar		x
Acronicta fragilis	Fragile dagger	Many shrubs and trees		x
Acronicta impleta	Yellow-haired dagger	Broadleaved shrubs and trees including willow, maple, oak		x
Acronicta impressa	Impressed dagger moth	Many shrubs and trees, some herbs		x
Acronicta innotata	Unmarked dagger	Broadleaved shrubs and trees including willow, alder, poplar		x
Acronicta vulpina	Miller dagger	Aspen, birch poplar, willow, alder		x
Alypia langtoni	Langston's forester	Willow-herbs (Chamerion)			x
Amphipyra pyramidoides	Copper underwing	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Bleptina caradrinalis	Bent-winged owlet	Dead deciduous leaves; various live herb and tree leaves		x
Agrotis vancouverensis		herbs and grasses		x
Anaplectoides prasina*	Green arches	Many broadleaved plants		x
Anaplectoides pressus	Dappled dart	Many broadleaved plants		x
Apamaea cogitata	Thoughtful Apamea	Grasses		x
Apamea amputatrix	Yellow-headed cutworm	Pest of many crops and young fruit trees		x
Aseptis adnixa		Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)		x
Aseptis binotata	Rusty shoulder knot moth	Many shrubs		x
Caradrina morpheus*	Mottled rustic	herbs including dandelion (Taraxacum) and nettle (Urtica)		x
Diarsia esurialis		Many plants including alder, hazelnut, and ferns		x
Euplexia benesimilis	American angle shades	Many plants including ferns and shrubs		x
Euxoa quebecensis		Unknown; probably herbs		x
Homorthodes communis	Alder quaker	Alder		x
Homorthodes furfurata	Northern scurfy quaker	Broadleaved shrubs and trees including maples and cherries		x
Homorthodes hanhami		Unknown, probably broadleaved trees		x
Hyppa brunneicrista		Many plants including fireweed (Chamerion) and alder		x
Hyppa contrasta		Blueberry (Vaccinium) and other plants		x
Lacanobia subjuncta	Speckled cutworm	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees, including Vaccinium, willow, alder		x
Lacinipolia comis		herbs including legumes (Fabaceae) and Asteraceae		x
Lateroligia ophiogramma*	Double lobed moth	Grasses		x
Leucania farcta	Meadow wainscot moth	Grasses		x
Melanchra adjuncta	Hitched arches	herbs and some shrubs and trees.		x
Mythimna oxygala	Lesser wainscot	Grasses, sedges, asters		x
Noctua pronuba	Large yellow underwing	Many herbs and grasses		x
Ochropleura implecta	Flame-shouldered dart	herbs (including legumes, asters) and also willow		x
Phlogophora periculosa	Brown angle shades	Many plants including herbs, broadleaved shrubs and trees, conifers		x
Polia nimbosa	Stormy arches	Broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Polia piniae	Piney moth	Broadleaved shrubs including willow and alder		x
Pseudorthodes irrorata		Many broadleaved shrubs		x
Sideridis maryx	Maroonwing	Unknown; possibly kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)		x
Spirameter lutra	Otter spirameter	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees, and conifers		x
Panthea virginarius		Douglas-fir and Ponderosa pine		x
Autographa ampla	Large looper moth	Various shrubs and trees including willow and poplar			x
Autographa californica	Alfalfa looper	Many herbs, especially legumes		x
Syngrapha celsa	Western conifer looper	Many conifer species (Pinaceae)		x

* = non-native

Miller dagger (Acronicta vulpina) moth

NPS / D.L. Strenge

Prominents (Notodontidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Oligocentria pallida	Pale prominent	Poplar, willow, maple, apple		x
Furcula scolopendrina	Zigzag furcula moth	Poplar, willow		x
Pheosia rimosa	Black-rimmed prominent	Willows, aspen, poplars		x
Schizura ipomoeae	Morning-glory prominent	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Schizura unicornis	Unicorn caterpillar moth	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees		x
Nadata gibbosa	White-dotted prominent	Oaks and other trees and shrubs		x	x
Clostera albosigma	Sigmoid prominent	Poplar, willow, aspen, willow		x

Grass Moths (Pyralidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Herpetogramma pertextalis	Bold-feathered grass moth	Many herbs and shrubs		x

Saturniids (Saturniidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Hemileuca eglanterina	Elegant sheepmoth	Woody plants including wild lilac (Ceanothus), snowberry (Symphiocarpus), and cherry (Prunus)				x
Hylaphora gloveri	Glover's silkmoth	Many broadleaved shrubs and trees			x

Male elegant sheep moth (Hemileuca eglanterina at San Juan Island National Historical Park

NPS / Michelle Toshack

Sphinx Moths (Sphingidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Haemeris diffinis	Snowberry clearwing	Many plants including snowberry (Symphiocarpus), honeysuckle (Lonicera), dogbane (Apocynum), and cherry (Prunus)				x
Smerinthus cerisyi	One-eyed sphinx	Poplar, willow, other broadleaved trees			x

Tortricid Moths (Tortricidae)

Species	Common name	Larval host plants	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park	San Juan Island National Historical Park
Choristoneura rosaceana	Oblique-banded leafroller	Many shrubs and trees		x