Moths in Missouri: What's Flying Tonight

What's flying in Missouri tonight depends on the month. On July nights your lights draw the orange day-flying Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella), the common owlet Hypena scabra, the inchworm moth Mellilla xanthometata, the yellowstriped armyworm moth Spodoptera ornithogalli, and the chickweed geometer Haematopis grataria. In May you'll meet the Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma americana) and owlets like Lacinipolia renigera, while September is dominated by Helicoverpa zea, more Haematopis grataria, and Udea rubigalis.

Most-recorded moths in Missouri in July

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Ailanthus Webworm Moth Atteva punctella	Attevidae	86
2	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	82
3	Acrolophus popeanella	Tineidae	64
4	Mellilla xanthometata	Geometridae	57
5	Spodoptera ornithogalli	Noctuidae	49
6	Haematopis grataria	Geometridae	46
7	Nomophila nearctica	Crambidae	46
8	Patalene olyzonaria	Geometridae	45
9	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	43
10	Cisseps fulvicollis	Erebidae	41
11	Marimatha nigrofimbria	Noctuidae	39
12	Snowberry Clearwing Hemaris diffinis	Sphingidae	38
13	Cycnia tenera	Erebidae	37
14	Elophila obliteralis	Crambidae	34
15	Achyra rantalis	Crambidae	34
16	Acontia leo	Noctuidae	33
17	Apoda y-inversa	Limacodidae	32
18	Galgula partita	Noctuidae	32

Want tonight's list for your exact spot plus a good-mothing-night score? Open the live tool →

What's flying right now in Missouri

Missouri sits where eastern forest and prairie species overlap, so its moth list is broad and changes through the season. For tonight's most likely flyers at your exact spot, open the live predictor - it reads open GBIF records for your location and date.

Summer (July) moths in Missouri

Midsummer brings the widest variety. Common July flyers include:

Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella) - a slim, orange-and-white day-active moth tied to tree-of-heaven, often seen on flowers
Hypena scabra (Green Cloverworm Moth) and Spodoptera ornithogalli (Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth) - abundant owlets
Mellilla xanthometata and Patalene olyzonaria - small geometrid "inchworm" moths
Haematopis grataria (Chickweed Geometer) - a tiny yellow moth with pink lines, easy to spot on the sheet
Nomophila nearctica (Lucerne Moth) and Acrolophus popeanella round out a typical July night

Spring (May) moths in Missouri

Spring nights are cooler and quieter, led by the Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma americana) - the moth whose silk tents you may have seen draped in cherry and apple trees earlier in the season. You'll also see the owlet Lacinipolia renigera (Bristly Cutworm), the geometrid Eusarca confusaria, the small Udea rubigalis, and early Hypena scabra.

Fall (September) moths in Missouri

Autumn skews toward crop-associated owlets and lingering geometers: Helicoverpa zea (Corn Earworm Moth), repeat appearances of the Chickweed Geometer (Haematopis grataria), the Celery Leaftier (Udea rubigalis), and continued flights of Lacinipolia renigera and Hypena scabra. It's a more muted palette than midsummer but still active on warm nights.

Local mothing tips

Missouri's mix of Ozark woodland and prairie edges means trying different habitats yields different species - a forest sheet and a prairie sheet won't match.
UV or mercury-vapor lights beat white LED bulbs. Moths come to short-wavelength light because it scrambles their flight orientation, not because they're chasing a goal.
Hang a white sheet behind the light and check it through the night.
Warm, calm, humid, moonless nights are best - use the good-night-for-moths guide.
New to mothing? Start with mothing for beginners, and time a session during National Moth Week, July 18-26, 2026.

Browse other states from the moth index, or compare with Illinois.

Moths in Missouri by month (full year)

January

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	8
2	Phigalia denticulata	Geometridae	6
3	Alsophila pometaria	Geometridae	3
4	Orthonama obstipata	Geometridae	3
5	Paleacrita vernata	Geometridae	3
6	Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis	Psychidae	3
7	Walshia amorphella	Cosmopterigidae	1
8	Iridopsis defectaria	Geometridae	1
9	Idia americalis	Erebidae	1
10	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	1

February

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Paleacrita vernata	Geometridae	22
2	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	15
3	Phigalia denticulata	Geometridae	9
4	Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus	Saturniidae	3
5	Kocakina fidelis	Noctuidae	2
6	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	2
7	Chimoptesis gerulae	Tortricidae	1
8	Iridopsis defectaria	Geometridae	1
9	Eutrapela clemataria	Geometridae	1
10	Phigalia strigataria	Geometridae	1

March

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Phoberia atomaris	Erebidae	33
2	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	30
3	Phigalia strigataria	Geometridae	29
4	Paleacrita vernata	Geometridae	21
5	Psychomorpha epimenis	Noctuidae	20
6	Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis	Psychidae	13
7	Galgula partita	Noctuidae	13
8	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	12
9	Argyrotaenia velutinana	Tortricidae	12
10	Cissusa spadix	Erebidae	11

April

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Malacosoma americana	Lasiocampidae	59
2	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	32
3	Galgula partita	Noctuidae	32
4	Mellilla xanthometata	Geometridae	30
5	Snowberry Clearwing Hemaris diffinis	Sphingidae	28
6	Luna Moth Actias luna	Saturniidae	25
7	Nomophila nearctica	Crambidae	22
8	Elaphria grata	Noctuidae	21
9	Phoberia atomaris	Erebidae	21
10	Mythimna unipuncta	Noctuidae	19

May

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Lacinipolia renigera	Noctuidae	80
2	Malacosoma americana	Lasiocampidae	56
3	Eusarca confusaria	Geometridae	39
4	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	38
5	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	32
6	Luna Moth Actias luna	Saturniidae	31
7	Galgula partita	Noctuidae	31
8	Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth Malacosoma disstria	Lasiocampidae	28
9	Costaconvexa centrostrigaria	Geometridae	26
10	Maliattha synochitis	Noctuidae	24

June

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Macaria pustularia	Geometridae	41
2	Mellilla xanthometata	Geometridae	39
3	Snowberry Clearwing Hemaris diffinis	Sphingidae	38
4	Costaconvexa centrostrigaria	Geometridae	36
5	Acrolophus plumifrontella	Tineidae	35
6	Microcrambus elegans	Crambidae	34
7	Crambus agitatellus	Crambidae	34
8	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	32
9	Scopula limboundata	Geometridae	31
10	Eusarca confusaria	Geometridae	31

July

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Ailanthus Webworm Moth Atteva punctella	Attevidae	86
2	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	82
3	Acrolophus popeanella	Tineidae	64
4	Mellilla xanthometata	Geometridae	57
5	Spodoptera ornithogalli	Noctuidae	49
6	Haematopis grataria	Geometridae	46
7	Nomophila nearctica	Crambidae	46
8	Patalene olyzonaria	Geometridae	45
9	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	43
10	Cisseps fulvicollis	Erebidae	41

August

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Acrolophus popeanella	Tineidae	77
2	Haematopis grataria	Geometridae	66
3	Snowberry Clearwing Hemaris diffinis	Sphingidae	63
4	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	62
5	Ailanthus Webworm Moth Atteva punctella	Attevidae	61
6	Achyra rantalis	Crambidae	58
7	Schinia rivulosa	Noctuidae	55
8	Luna Moth Actias luna	Saturniidae	46
9	Acontia leo	Noctuidae	43
10	Spodoptera ornithogalli	Noctuidae	43

September

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Helicoverpa zea	Noctuidae	104
2	Haematopis grataria	Geometridae	71
3	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	67
4	Lacinipolia renigera	Noctuidae	66
5	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	61
6	Achyra rantalis	Crambidae	60
7	Ailanthus Webworm Moth Atteva punctella	Attevidae	58
8	Cisseps fulvicollis	Erebidae	56
9	Hymenia perspectalis	Crambidae	55
10	Eusarca confusaria	Geometridae	54

October

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	71
2	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	54
3	Helicoverpa zea	Noctuidae	46
4	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	43
5	Agrotis gladiaria	Noctuidae	41
6	Patalene olyzonaria	Geometridae	38
7	Agriphila vulgivagellus	Crambidae	32
8	Agnorisma badinodis	Noctuidae	32
9	Hymenia perspectalis	Crambidae	31
10	Cisseps fulvicollis	Erebidae	30

November

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	36
2	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	13
3	Cisseps fulvicollis	Erebidae	8
4	Agrochola bicolorago	Noctuidae	7
5	Hymenia perspectalis	Crambidae	6
6	Anticarsia gemmatalis	Erebidae	6
7	Udea rubigalis	Crambidae	5
8	Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis	Psychidae	5
9	Iridopsis defectaria	Geometridae	4
10	Spodoptera frugiperda	Noctuidae	4

December

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	25
2	Alsophila pometaria	Geometridae	10
3	Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis	Psychidae	7
4	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	7
5	Scolecocampa liburna	Erebidae	6
6	Eupsilia vinulenta	Noctuidae	2
7	Walshia amorphella	Cosmopterigidae	1
8	Iridopsis defectaria	Geometridae	1
9	Catocala vidua	Erebidae	1
10	Paleacrita vernata	Geometridae	1

Frequently asked

What moths are in Missouri right now?

It depends on the month. July brings the Ailanthus Webworm Moth, Hypena scabra, Spodoptera ornithogalli, and Haematopis grataria. May is led by the Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth and Lacinipolia renigera; September shifts to Helicoverpa zea, Haematopis grataria, and Udea rubigalis. Run the live tool for tonight's local list.

What is the orange moth I see on flowers in Missouri by day?

That's almost certainly the Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella), a slim orange-and-white day-active moth tied to tree-of-heaven. It's very common in Missouri from July through fall and is harmless.

Are the tent webs in Missouri trees from a moth?

Yes. In spring those silk tents in cherry and apple branches are made by Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma americana) larvae. The adult is a brown moth that comes to lights in May; the tents are the caterpillar stage.

When is the best time to see moths in Missouri?

Midsummer (July) gives the most species, but warm nights from late spring through early fall all produce moths. Choose a warm, humid, calm, moonless night and use a UV light with a white sheet.

Can this tool identify a moth from my photo?

No. Tonight's Moths predicts likely species by your location and date from open GBIF records, it doesn't identify photos. For photo ID, try iNaturalist or Seek, BugGuide, the Moth Photographers Group, or BAMONA.

Top moth species per month from open-licensed GBIF records (CC0/CC-BY), aggregated over an approximate state bounding box. Butterflies excluded. GBIF download DOI: 10.15468/dl.3w3w76. Independent project; not affiliated with iNaturalist or Butterfly Conservation.

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