Bug FAQThree-lined Balsa Moth
Balsa tristrigella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Three-lined Balsa
The three-lined balsa moth belongs to the Noctuidae family. Adults have a wingspan of about 25 to 30 mm and fly from May through August. Its larvae feed on hawthorn (Crataegus) and it lives in eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is a species of moth in the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan ranges from 25 to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on species of hawthorn (Crataegus).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They are active during the months of May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range is eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Connecticut, Michigan, New Hampshire.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
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/Balsa_tristrigella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.