Bug FAQNais Tiger Moth
Apantesis nais · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The Nais tiger moth has a wingspan of about 30 to 42 mm and shows black forewings with a cream-colored edge, while the hindwings are often reddish or yellow with a row of black spots.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are mostly black with a cream-colored costal border and lines that extend from the base in males. Hindwings vary in colour but are usually reddish or yellow and display a row of large black spots in the middle area.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 30 to 42 mm (about 1.2 to 1.7 inches).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers woodland and other forested habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from April through October.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults can be seen on the wing from April to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It has also been spotted in Ohio.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Nais tiger moths active?
Adults are on the wing from April through October.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous and woody plants such as grasses, violets, plantain and clover.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is the Nais tiger moth?
Its wingspan measures about 30 to 42 mm (1.2 to 1.7 inches).
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apantesis_nais
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.