Bug FAQNine-spotted Moth
Amata phegea · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The nine-spotted moth has a wingspan of about 35 to 40 mm and dark wings with six white spots on each forewing and two or three on the hindwing, giving it a metallic sheen. It lives in dry, open habitats across southern Europe to northern Germany, the Caucasus, Anatolia and now India, and adults fly on sunny days from late May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The wings are dark blue-black or green-black with a metallic shine and white spots. Typically there are six white spots on each forewing and two or three on each hindwing.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan of roughly 35 to 40 mm (1.4 to 1.6 in). Caterpillars grow to about 5 cm (2 in) long.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers dry, open areas with shrubs or trees, open forests and sunny slopes. In the United Kingdom it is only a very rare immigrant and does not breed.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Females lay eggs on many herbaceous plants. The caterpillars feed on a variety of low plants such as plantain, sorrel, bedstraw, grasses and dandelion.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one generation each year. Caterpillars hatch in early August, overwinter in a silken nest, and pupate in May in ground cocoons.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active on warm, sunny days from late May until August, depending on location. Larvae appear in early August and feed on various herbaceous plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is mainly found in southern Europe, reaching up to northern Germany and eastward to Anatolia and the Caucasus. It has also been recorded in India in recent times.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It can be confused with Amata ragazzii and Zygaena ephialtes, but those species differ in spot patterns and coloration. The nine-spotted moth participates in Müllerian mimicry, sharing its warning colors with other unpalatable moths.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on low herbaceous plants such as plantain, sorrel, bedstraw, grasses and dandelion.
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/Nine-spotted_moth
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.