Bug FAQScarlet-bodied Wasp Moth
Cosmosoma myrodora · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
The scarlet-bodied wasp moth, Cosmosoma myrodora, has a wingspan of about 30 to 35 mm. It lives on coastal plains in the southeastern United States, from South Carolina to Texas, including Florida, and has also been recorded near São Paulo, Brazil. Its caterpillars feed on the plant Mikania scandens, and adults can be seen flying from March through December.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Cosmosoma myrodora is known as the scarlet-bodied wasp moth.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges from 30 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits coastal plain environments.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the plant Mikania scandens.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from March through December.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults can be seen flying from early spring to late fall (March-December).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In the United States it occurs from South Carolina to Texas, including Florida. It has also been found near São Paulo in Brazil.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 9 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see adult scarlet-bodied wasp moths?
Adults are active from March through December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found in the United States?
It occurs on coastal plains from South Carolina to Texas, including Florida.
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/Cosmosoma_myrodora
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.