Moths in Indiana: What's Flying Tonight

In Indiana right now, mid-summer nights bring the Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella), the Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle), the Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene), and the day-flying Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis), which hovers at flowers like a tiny hummingbird. Earlier in spring the state's standout is the Luna Moth (Actias luna), a giant silk moth, alongside the woolly-bear Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella). The exact mix on any given night depends on your date and location across Indiana.

What's flying in Indiana right now

Indiana's summer nights mix farmland and woodland species. The Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella) is a common orange-and-white flier tied to the invasive tree-of-heaven. The Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) has a gray adult, but its tufted black-orange-white caterpillars feed in clusters on milkweed - don't handle the larvae, as tussock hairs can irritate skin. The Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene), a bold black-and-cream tiger moth sometimes called the "crossbones moth," flies by day and night. Look too for the day-flying Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis), which hovers and feeds at flowers, plus Acrolophus popeanella and the Green Cloverworm Moth (Hypena scabra).

Spring vs early fall

In May, Indiana's headline moth is the Luna Moth (Actias luna) - a long-tailed, pale-green giant silk moth whose trailing hindwings are thought to confuse hunting bats. Spring also brings the Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma americana), the Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), the White-dotted Prominent (Nadata gibbosa), and the Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica). Remember that adult Luna Moths never feed and live only a week or two, so a fresh one is a real treat.

By September, the silk moths are done and the night turns to Dichagyris reliqua, the persistent Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella), the Green Cloverworm Moth (Hypena scabra), the Carolina Sphinx (Manduca sexta) - whose caterpillar is the tobacco hornworm, not the tomato hornworm - and the Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica). Fall is peak woolly-bear season too.

Local mothing tips

• A UV or mercury-vapor light over a white sheet pulls in many more moths than a plain LED bulb. Short-wavelength light disrupts moth flight orientation, which is why it works so well.
• Indiana's hardwood forests, the Indiana Dunes, and backyard gardens all reward mothing. Plant milkweed and native nectar flowers to draw clearwings by day.
• Warm, humid, still, moonless nights are best - check the good-night-for-moths score.

See tonight's Indiana list

The live tool returns the species most likely flying at your exact location tonight from open GBIF records. New here? Start with mothing for beginners or read up on Luna Moth season. Browse all states or take part in National Moth Week (July 18-26, 2026).