Alabama has far more moths than butterflies, and most people never notice the difference. The state has approximately 150 species of butterflies but over 1,000 species of moths. The Moth Photographers Group lists 1,990 species records for Alabama, though that count includes butterflies and specimens not identified to species. Anyone who leaves a porch light on in summer meets a small share of them.
This guide covers 30 of the types of moths in Alabama, from a sphinx moth that hovers like a hummingbird to small gray moths that rest unnoticed on bark. Each entry gives color, size, host plants, and where the moth turns up. Some are garden pests, and a few have stinging caterpillars, so those get flagged too.
The large silk moths, such as the luna moth (Actias luna) and imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), get most of the attention. Once they emerge from their cocoons, they live their whole adult life in moth form in only two weeks. The species below are less famous but just as interesting. For a wider look at the group, see this overview of how many moth species exist and this rundown of different types of moths.
Important Note: Common names for moths vary between field guides and databases, and many Alabama species look alike. Treat a photo match as a starting point, and confirm tricky identifications with a regional checklist or a community platform such as iNaturalist.
1. Ailanthus Webworm Moth
The Ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea) looks more like a small wasp than a moth. Its narrow orange wings carry rows of pale yellow spots with blue-black edging, and it often rests with its wings wrapped tightly around its body. Adults are active by day and visit flowers.
Caterpillars live in silk webs on the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an invasive tree common along Alabama roadsides and vacant lots. The moth is also familiar farther north, so readers comparing regions can see how it appears in New York insects.
2. Achemon Sphinx Moth
The Achemon sphinx moth (Eumorpha achemon) is a heavy-bodied hawk moth with brown, mottled forewings and a surprise underneath. Its hindwings flash bright pink when it stretches them. Adults measure roughly 87 to 96 millimeters long, or about 3.4 to 3.8 inches.
It flies at night and sips nectar from flowers such as Japanese honeysuckle, phlox, and petunias, and its wingbeats are fast enough to be mistaken for a hummingbird. Caterpillars feed on grape and Virginia creeper, which is why it is also called the grape sphinx. Night-flying moths like this one are a main food source for Alabama’s bats.
3. American Ermine Moth
The American ermine moth (Yponomeuta multipunctella) is a small white moth with rows of tiny black dots across the forewings, much like the fur trim it is named for. It is easy to overlook at about the size of a thumbnail.
Its caterpillars feed in groups under silk webbing on euonymus shrubs, which are common in Alabama landscaping. Heavy webbing can strip a hedge of leaves, but the shrub usually recovers.
4. American Lappet Moth
The American lappet moth (Phyllodesma americana) looks like a pile of dead leaves with wings. Its reddish-brown to gray body and ruffled, scalloped wing edges let it pass for a curled leaf on a twig. It belongs to the same family as the tent caterpillars.
Caterpillars feed on alder, willow, birch, and other deciduous trees and shrubs. They are flattened and hairy, with fleshy lappets along the sides that help them blend into a branch.
5. Angus’ Datana Moth
Angus’ datana moth (Datana angusii) is a stocky, brown moth with several pale lines across the forewings. It rests with its wings folded roof-like over its back. Adults come to lights in summer.
The caterpillars are the more memorable stage. They are striped and hairy, and they feed on walnut and hickory in groups. When disturbed, they raise their head and tail together in a defensive posture. Georgia has the same species, and the moths of Georgia are a useful comparison.
6. Arcigera Flower Moth
The Arcigera flower moth (Schinia arcigera) is a small flower moth that spends its life around asters. Adults have pale forewings with brown and pinkish markings that match the petals and bracts they rest on. They are active in late summer and fall.
Caterpillars eat the flower heads and seeds of wild asters, so the moth tracks late-season bloom in meadows, roadsides, and field edges. Checking aster patches at dusk or after dark is the best way to find one.
7. Ash-Tip Borer Moth
The Ash-tip borer moth is one of the less-studied small moths found in Alabama, and it has a name that gives away its link to ash trees. The name refers to larvae that tunnel into the tips of new shoots on ash (Fraxinus), though adults are the stage most people see.
Adults are small and muted, so a hand lens or a clear photo helps. Because ash trees are under pressure from other pests, checking shoot tips for stunted growth can help separate this moth’s damage from other causes.
8. Bagworm Moth
The evergreen bagworm moth (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) has the strangest life cycle on this list. Males are slender, black, and nearly clear-winged, and they fly in search of a mate. Females never develop wings or leave their bags.
The caterpillars build spindle-shaped silk bags covered with bits of needles and leaves, then carry them around while they feed. Junipers, arborvitae, and cedars are frequent hosts in Alabama yards. A heavy infestation can defoliate a small evergreen, so hand-picking bags in winter, when they hold the eggs, works well on a few shrubs. Readers curious about other plant-eating bugs can browse different types of insects.
9. Banded Tiger Moth
The banded tiger moth (Apantesis vittata) is a boldly marked member of the tiger moth group. Its dark forewings carry creamy bands, and the hindwings flash warm colors when the moth is disturbed. Those colors warn predators that the moth tastes bad.
Caterpillars are fuzzy and eat a wide range of low plants, which is typical of tiger moths. Adults come to lights in warm months. Neighboring regions have their own tiger moth populations, as shown in this look at the moths of Texas.
10. Barberry Geometer Moth
The barberry geometer moth (Coryphista meadii) is a gray-brown moth with a darker band across each forewing. It sits flat against bark or fences with its wings spread, and it is easy to miss. It belongs to the Geometridae, the family whose caterpillars “measure” the ground as they loop forward.
Its caterpillars feed on barberry and related shrubs. That includes invasive Japanese barberry, so the moth is one of the few insects that eats a plant most land managers want removed.
11. Bent-Line Carpet Moth
The bent-line carpet moth (Costaconvexa centrostrigaria) is a small geometer with a zigzag line across its gray-brown wings. That sharp bend gives the moth its name. Moth Identification includes it among the species recorded in Alabama.
The caterpillars feed on low plants such as bedstraw. Adults are common at porch lights and rest with their wings flat. They fly through much of the warm season, so they are among the easier carpet moths to find.
12. Black-Waved Flannel Moth
The black-waved flannel moth (Lagoa crispata) is cream to yellowish and covered in soft, wool-like scales, with wavy dark lines across the wings. It looks like a tiny fuzzy cushion. Adults are small and rest with their legs hidden under the fur.
The caterpillar is the part to avoid. It is covered in long, silky hairs that conceal stinging spines, and it belongs to the same family as the southern flannel moth, whose puss caterpillar is Alabama’s best-known stinging caterpillar.
Common Mistake: Do not pet a fuzzy caterpillar because it looks soft. Flannel moth caterpillars hide stinging spines under their hair, and the sting can cause pain and a rash. Move them with a stick or leave them alone.
13. Bluish Spring Moth
The bluish spring moth (Lomographa semiclarata) is a small, delicate geometer with white to pale gray wings and a faint bluish cast. It appears in early spring, often before many other moths are flying. Adults come to lights on mild nights in March and April.
Caterpillars feed on cherry, plum, hawthorn, and related trees. Early spring is also when frogs begin calling, so a warm evening walk can turn up this moth along with the frogs of Alabama.
14. Boxwood Leaftier Moth
The boxwood leaftier moth (Galasa nigrinodis) is a small, grayish snout-type moth, but the damage its caterpillars do is more noticeable than the adult. The larvae tie boxwood leaves together with silk and feed inside the shelter. Affected branch tips turn brown and look scorched.
Boxwood hedges are common in Alabama yards and historic gardens, so this species is a familiar problem for homeowners. Inspecting new growth for tied leaves in spring and early summer is the easiest way to catch it early.
15. Cecropia Silk Moth
The Cecropia silk moth (Hyalophora cecropia) is the largest native moth in North America. Its wingspan runs from 110 to 150 millimeters, and the dark wings have red shading and crescent-shaped discal spots with whitish centers. The body is striped red, white, and black.
It is not evenly spread across the state. The BugGuide record describes its Alabama distribution as patchy, uncommon across the southern counties, and seemingly absent from much of the center. Readers can compare notes in this BugGuide Cecropia entry. The same species is a highlight for observers in Michigan’s moth list.
Key Insight: A fresh Cecropia moth can be easy to find at a porch light in late spring, but it will not eat. Adults live a short time, so seeing one is a matter of timing as much as luck.
16. Close-Banded Yellowhorn Moth
The close-banded yellowhorn moth (Colocasia propinquilinea) is a mid-sized, gray moth with finely drawn dark bands across the forewings. The “yellowhorn” in its name refers to the pale, feathery antennae the males carry. At rest, it looks like a patch of lichen-covered bark.
The caterpillars feed on oaks, so the moth is most likely to turn up in hardwood forests and wooded neighborhoods. Adults come to lights in spring and early summer.
17. Common Spring Moth
The common spring moth (Heliomata cycladata) is a small white and gray moth with brown bands that flies by day in spring. Its flight is slow and fluttery, and it sometimes lands on flowers and leaves. That behavior surprises people who think moths only come out at night.
Caterpillars feed on black locust. When the locust blooms, the same trees draw crowds of pollinators, and a visit can mean seeing this moth along with the bees of Alabama.
18. Definite Tussock Moth
The definite tussock moth (Orgyia definita) shows how different the sexes can be. Males are rusty brown and fly well, with a pale mark near the wing tip. Females are plump, nearly wingless, and stay close to their cocoons to lay eggs.
Caterpillars have a yellow head, tufts of pale hair, and black pencil-like tufts that stick out at the front and rear. They feed on hickory, oak, basswood, and other hardwoods. The hairs can irritate skin, so avoid handling them.
19. Himmelman’s Plume Moth
Himmelman’s plume moth is a plume moth, a family called Pterophoridae. These moths are easy to recognize because the wings are split into narrow, feathery lobes. At rest, many hold them rolled up and stretched out sideways to form a T-shape.
Plume moths are slender and long-legged, and they look more like crane flies than typical moths. They are small and active at night, so a light sheet and close-up photos help with identification. Records for most plume moths in Alabama are sparse, which makes careful sightings useful.
20. Dart Moth
Dart moths belong to the owlet moth family (Noctuidae) and are named for the dart-shaped marks on many of their forewings. The black cutworm moth (Agrotis ipsilon) is a familiar example. It is a dark, mottled moth whose caterpillars cut seedlings off at the soil line.
Most dart moths are brown, gray, or tan and are easy to ignore, but they make up a large part of any nighttime moth count. Several of them show up in Alabama species databases, including Master’s dart moth and the pink-spotted dart moth. Their caterpillars live in soil and leaf litter by day, which is why gardeners find the damage before the culprit.
Pro Tip: To attract owlet and dart moths, try bait instead of lights. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System notes that cloth strips soaked in wine or rotted fruit juice attract certain noctuid moths. Hang the strips on a tree at dusk and check them after dark with a red flashlight. See the Alabama Extension’s moth observation guide for more.
Moths that rest on bark and walls also draw hunters of their own, and web-builders are one of them. This look at Alabama spiders shows which ones to watch for.
21. Cross-Striped Cabbageworm Moth
The cross-striped cabbageworm moth (Evergestis rimosalis) is a small, pale tan to yellowish moth with a darker line across each wing. It flies at night and is rarely noticed by gardeners. The caterpillar, on the other hand, is a regular guest in fall vegetable beds.
Larvae feed on collards, cabbage, broccoli, turnips, and other crucifers, leaving ragged holes in the leaves. Collard greens are a staple of Alabama gardens, so this species is a common reason for row covers and hand-picking.
22. Doubleday’s Baileya Moth
Doubleday’s Baileya moth (Baileya doubledayi) is a small tuft moth with a mottled gray and black pattern and raised scale tufts on its forewings. Those tufts give the wings a rough, lumpy texture. At rest on a tree trunk, the pattern blends in with lichen and bark.
It is easiest to find after dark at lights, or by checking tree trunks in wooded areas with a flashlight. Baileya species are small enough that they are often missed in casual surveys.
23. Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
The eastern tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma americanum) is a reddish-brown moth with two pale diagonal bands on each forewing. Adults emerge in early summer, mate, and lay a shiny, foam-covered egg band around a twig. They are stout and furry, and they do not feed.
The caterpillars are far better known. They build silk tents in the forks of wild cherry and other trees in spring, and they leave the tent to feed. Trees usually recover, and the best control is to remove egg bands in winter.
24. Eight-Spotted Forester Moth
The eight-spotted forester (Alypia octomaculata) is a black day-flying moth with two yellow spots on each forewing and two white spots on each hindwing. It is easy to mistake for a butterfly or a small wasp. Moth Identification lists it among the owlet moths found in Alabama. See the Alabama moth list on Moth Identification for more species.
Adults visit flowers in spring and early summer. The caterpillars are boldly banded in white, orange, and black, and they feed on grape and Virginia creeper. Wooded edges and vineyards are good places to look.
25. European Corn Borer Moth
The European corn borer moth (Ostrinia nubilalis) is a small, tan to yellowish moth with zigzag dark lines on the wings. Females are paler and larger than the darker males. The species came from Europe and became established in North America in the early twentieth century.
The caterpillars tunnel into corn stalks and ears, and they also attack peppers, beans, and other crops. Alabama farmers and gardeners deal with it alongside growers in the Corn Belt, as the entries on Ohio insects show.
26. Faint-Spotted Angle Moth
The faint-spotted angle moth (Digrammia ocellinata) is a slender, pale gray geometer with small dark dots and faint lines. It rests with its wings flat and spread. The color is close to weathered wood or gravel.
Caterpillars feed on legumes and other low plants. Adults are small and easy to overlook, but they come to lights during the warm months, and they are one of many angle moths in the state.
27. Fall Armyworm Moth
The fall armyworm moth (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a gray-brown owlet moth with a pale mark near the tip of the forewing on males. It is plain, but it is one of the most damaging moths in the Southeast. It migrates north each year rather than overwintering across the whole country.
Caterpillars feed on corn, sorghum, bermudagrass, and lawn turf, and they can destroy a pasture in days. Texas and Florida are the southern points where the moth survives winter, which is why the insects of Texas matter to Alabama farmers. The table below compares the main pest species in this list.
| Moth | Main Hosts | Typical Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Armyworm Moth | Corn, sorghum, turfgrass | Leaf stripping, ruined pasture and lawns |
| European Corn Borer Moth | Corn, peppers, beans | Stalk and ear tunneling |
| Cross-Striped Cabbageworm Moth | Collards, cabbage, broccoli | Ragged holes in leaves |
| Boxwood Leaftier Moth | Boxwood | Tied leaves, browned branch tips |
| Bagworm Moth | Junipers, arborvitae, cedar | Defoliated evergreens |
| Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth | Wild cherry and other trees | Silk tents, spring defoliation |
28. Five-Spotted Hawk Moth
The five-spotted hawk moth (Manduca quinquemaculata) is a large, gray-brown sphinx moth with five orange-yellow spots along each side of the abdomen. Wingspans can reach about five inches. At dusk, it hovers at flowers and feeds with a long tongue, much like a hummingbird.
The caterpillar is the tomato hornworm, a big green larva with diagonal white stripes and a horn at the rear. It strips tomato, pepper, and potato plants. The adult does no harm, and a hornworm covered in small white cocoons has been parasitized by wasps and should be left in place.
29. Four-Spotted Gluphisia Moth
The four-spotted gluphisia moth (Gluphisia avimacula) is a small, stocky moth in the prominent family, with gray and white forewings and dark markings. Its wings are held tent-like over the body. Several close relatives in the same genus look nearly identical.
Males often gather in groups on damp sand or mud to drink minerals, a behavior called puddling. Caterpillars feed on poplars and willows, so the moth turns up near streams, ponds, and wet woods.
30. George’s Midget Moth
George’s midget moth (Elaphria georgei) is a small owlet moth with mottled brown wings and a pale patch near the center of each forewing. The “midget” group is made up of small, closely related species that are hard to tell apart without a good photo or a specimen.
It comes to lights in the warm months and is easy to pass over next to the larger moths. Those who keep a backyard moth list should record these small species too, since they add to the count of the moths found in Alabama and help fill gaps in state records.
That is a start on the roughly 1,000 moth species in the state. Pick a warm night, set up a white sheet and a light, and compare what lands against this list. Alabama’s wildlife is broader than moths, and snake fans can read about the snakes of Alabama for the next step.