In New York, the moths most likely at your light tonight shift dramatically with the season. Late spring brings a wall of tent caterpillar moths (Malacosoma americana) and the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar), soon joined by the unmistakable Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) in pink and yellow. June is the state's big silk-moth window: the Luna Moth (Actias luna) and Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) are both among New York's most-recorded species that month, alongside the Pale Beauty (Campaea perlata) and Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae). High summer adds day-flying hawkmoths like the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe), the Blinded Sphinx (Paonias excaecata), and lichen moths such as Hypoprepia fucosa. By late summer and fall, tiger and tussock moths take over: Banded Tussock (Halysidota tessellaris), Milkweed Tussock (Euchaetes egle), Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea), and the Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella) whose woolly-bear caterpillars peak in October. These are the most-recorded species in open records for an approximate New York area, not an exhaustive list, but they are a reliable picture of what's on the wing.
When do the showy silk moths fly in New York?
If you came hoping for the giants, June is your month in New York. That is when the Luna Moth (Actias luna) climbs into the state's most-recorded species, alongside the Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) with its big eyespotted hindwings. Both are saturniids, both fly mainly on warm June nights, and both are among the reasons people first put up a light. The Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) is the early bird of this group, already common in May and staying strong into June. The Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) and Promethea Moth (Callosamia promethea) also appear in the New York records, though many cooler-month entries for these are cocoons and reared adults rather than free-flying moths, so don't expect them at the porch light in February.
What's flying in May versus July versus September?
This is where New York really separates from anywhere else, because the lineup turns over completely across the season:
- May is dominated by sheer numbers of tent caterpillar moths, with Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma americana) the single most-recorded species, plus the Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma disstria), the Curve-toothed Geometer (Eutrapela clemataria), and the White-striped Black (Trichodezia albovittata), a day-flying geometer.
- July is peak diversity and peak volume. The spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) hits its annual high, joined by grass-veneers like Microcrambus elegans and Crambus agitatellus, the Painted Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia fucosa), the Blinded Sphinx (Paonias excaecata), and the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) buzzing flowers by day.
- September belongs to the woolly and tussock crowd: Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae), Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris), Spotted Tussock (Lophocampa maculata), the American Dagger Moth (Acronicta americana), and the Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), whose caterpillar is the famous woolly bear.
Which charismatic moths should I watch for locally?
Beyond the silk moths, New York's hawkmoths (sphinx moths) are a summer highlight. Watch for the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) hovering at bee balm and phlox in daylight, the Blinded Sphinx (Paonias excaecata) at lights in July, and the Waved Sphinx (Ceratomia undulosa), which shows up in both June and July records. Tiger moths are the other crowd-pleaser: the Giant Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia), white with bold black rings, turns up in fall, and the Virginia Ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica), a metallic day-flier, is recorded across most of the year. In October you may even catch the Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Hyles gallii) among the late records.
What flies in a New York winter?
New York is one of the places where "winter moths" are a real thing. From November into the cold months, the most-recorded species include the Bruce Spanworm (Operophtera bruceata) and the introduced Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata), plus the Fall Cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria) and Linden Looper (Erannis tiliaria). These geometers have flightless or weak-flying females and the males patrol bare woods on nights barely above freezing, so a mild late-autumn evening can still be worth a look.
How these New York lists are built
The species above are the most-recorded moths in open-licensed GBIF records (CC0 and CC-BY), aggregated over an approximate New York bounding box, with butterflies excluded. That means they reflect what observers report and upload, so widespread, easy-to-photograph species and well-watched regions are weighted more heavily. It is a strong guide to what is likely flying, not a complete checklist of New York's moth fauna, which runs to thousands of species.
Get tonight's personalized New York list
Enter your spot and we will combine this month's most-likely New York species with tonight's weather and moon to give you a focused list plus a "good mothing night" score, our read on how favorable the conditions are for moths at the light. Warm, still, humid, overcast nights with little moonlight tend to score best. We are a forecast and discovery tool, not an identifier, so once you have photos, take them to iNaturalist or the Leps community for a confirmed ID.
Frequently asked
What is the best time of year to see moths in New York?June and July are the peak months. June brings New York's most-recorded showy silk moths, including the Luna Moth and Polyphemus Moth, while July has the highest overall volume and diversity, with sphinx moths, lichen moths, grass-veneers, and the spongy moth all flying together. Late summer and early fall are excellent for tiger and tussock moths.
Can I see Luna Moths in New York?Yes. The Luna Moth (Actias luna) is among the most-recorded moth species in New York during June, so warm June nights are your best bet. Look for them near hardwoods like birch and walnut, and check porch lights, lit windows, and any light left on in or near woodland after dark.
Do moths really fly in New York during winter?Some do. New York has true winter-active geometers such as the Bruce Spanworm, the introduced Winter Moth, the Fall Cankerworm, and the Linden Looper, which appear in the late-autumn and early-winter records. The males fly on cold nights while the females are flightless or barely fly, so a mild evening in November or December can still turn up moths.
Are these New York moth lists complete?No. They are the most-recorded species in open-licensed GBIF records over an approximate New York area, with butterflies excluded. They reliably show what is likely flying each month, but New York has thousands of moth species and many are under-recorded, so treat the list as a likely-tonight guide rather than a full checklist.
How do I identify a moth I found in New York?We are a forecast and discovery tool, not an identifier, so we point you to the right place for confirmation. Photograph the moth and upload it to iNaturalist, where the community and computer vision can suggest an ID, or compare it on a regional resource like the Lepidoptera (Leps) sites. Our monthly New York list can help narrow down the likely candidates first.
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.