Bug FAQEastern American Ear Moths
Amphipoea americana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: American Ear Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The Eastern American ear moth has a wingspan of about 28 to 35 mm. It lives across the northern United States and southern Canada, reaching the Northwest Territories and extending south to California and Georgia. Adults are seen flying from July through September, depending on where they are found.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 28 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found coast-to-coast in the northern U.S. and southern Canada, also in the Northwest Territories, south to California and Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat grasses, sedges, and sometimes the roots of corn.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from July to September, varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Flight period spans July through September depending on region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to the northern United States and southern Canada, with presence in the Northwest Territories and extending south to California and Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, New Hampshire, Minnesota, North Carolina, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult Eastern American ear moths active?
Adults fly from July to September, with exact timing depending on the area.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae feed on?
The larvae feed on grasses, sedges, and occasionally the roots of corn plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are Eastern American ear moths found?
They occur across the northern United States and southern Canada, also in the Northwest Territories, extending south to California and Georgia.
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/Amphipoea_americana
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.