Bug FAQOrange Footman
Eilema sororcula · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The orange footman moth has a wingspan of about 27 to 30 mm and its forewings are bright golden-yellow with a strongly convex costa, making the tip broader than related species. It lives across Europe, Anatolia and east through the Palearctic to southern Siberia, the Amur basin and China, where the larvae feed on tree lichens and adults may visit flowers in daylight.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewing’s leading edge is strongly convex, giving the tip a broader shape, and the moth’s head, thorax, abdomen tip and forewings are bright golden-yellow, with the hindwings a slightly paler orange-yellow in females.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 27 to 30 mm (about 1.1 to 1.2 inches).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on lichens growing on both coniferous and deciduous trees. Adults are sometimes seen feeding at flowers during the day.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from April to June, depending on location. The caterpillars are blackish with two yellow dorsal stripes that bear red dots and white spots.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The moth flies from April to June, varying with locality.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Europe, Anatolia and extends eastward across the Palearctic to southern Siberia, the Amur basin and China.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Unlike the lutarella group, the orange footman never has a black costal area on the hindwing above or below.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Utah.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see orange footman moths?
Adults fly from April through June, with exact timing depending on where you are.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars look like?
The larvae are blackish with two yellow stripes along the back, each stripe bearing red dots and white spots.
Source: Wikipedia
What do orange footman moths eat?
The caterpillars feed on lichens on both coniferous and deciduous trees, and adults may visit flowers during the day.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell orange footman apart from similar moths?
Its forewing has a strongly convex leading edge making the tip broader, and the hindwing never shows a black costal area, unlike the lutarella group.
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/Wittia_sororcula
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.