Bug FAQMeadow Rue Borer Moths
Papaipema unimoda · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Meadow Rue Borer, Meadow Rue Borer Moth
The meadow rue borer moth has a wingspan of about 30 to 40 mm. Adults fly from August through October, producing one generation each year. Its caterpillars eat plants such as meadow rue, coneflower, greenbrier, and Jacob’s ladder.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Papaipema unimoda belongs to the Noctuidae family of moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 30 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on species of Thalictrum, Rudbeckia, Smilax, and Polemonium.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from August to October, with one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period is August through October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 19 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
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/Papaipema_unimoda
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.