Bug FAQThe Bordered Straw
Heliothis peltigera · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Bordered Straw
The Bordered Straw moth has a wingspan of about 3 to 4 cm and forewings 1.6 to 1.9 cm long, with grey-ochre forewings and a dark dot as the orbicular stigma, while the hindwings show a broad dark border with a pale spot between the second and fourth veins. It lives on warm, dry places such as hot wastelands and warm slopes, occurs in southern Europe, the Near East, much of Africa and parts of Asia, and migrates northward each year from May to October.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are greyish-ochre with pale brown flush and a narrow marginal area; a dark dot marks the orbicular stigma. Hindwings have a wide brown-black border that includes a pale blotch between veins 2 and 4.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 29 to 40 mm and forewing length from 16 to 19 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Prefers hot wastelands and warm slopes.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults feed on a variety of flower nectar.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
These migratory moths arrive from May to October depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are seen from May through October, varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Also present across most of Africa and into Asia as far east as China and Laos.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Similar species include Heliothis nubigera, which has less distinct kidney markings, and Helicoverpa armigera, which has lighter hindwings.
Source: Wikipedia
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/Heliothis_peltigera
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.