Bug FAQBlack-spotted Prominent
Dasylophia anguina · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Notodontidae
Also called: Black-spotted Prominent Moth
It lives in fields, woodlands and barrens across much of North America, from Manitoba and southern Quebec down to Florida and eastern Texas. Adults fly from April through September, while caterpillars appear from May to November; there is one generation in the north and two or more in the south.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males show black streaks on the base and middle of the forewing, while females have a large yellow-brown patch near the wing base. Both sexes have a sharp, rounded post-median line on the forewing and black spots along the lower wing margin.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It can be found in fields, woodlands and barren areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from April to September; caterpillars are present from May to November.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The species flies from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America. Its range extends from Manitoba and southern Quebec down to southern Florida and northeastern Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Alabama.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Same family (Notodontidae)
White-dotted ProminentNadata gibbosaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Buff-tipPhalera bucephalaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common Gluphisia MothGluphisia septentrionis
Pine Processionary-mothThaumetopoea pityocampaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Walnut Caterpillar MothDatana integerrimaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Unicorn ProminentCoelodasys unicornisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasylophia_anguina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.