Moths in Texas

In Texas, the moths most often recorded at lights are a mix of fast-flying sphinxes, tiger moths, and a deep bench of small noctuids and grass moths. The species you are most likely to see right now depends heavily on the month. In spring, the standout is the White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata), a big, hummingbird-like hawkmoth that tops the March list and stays abundant through April and May. Alongside it, the Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea), a white tiger moth with a yellow-and-black abdomen, surges enormously in April. You will also run into the Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma disstria), the Ailanthus Webworm Moth (Atteva punctella) with its orange-and-white pattern, and southern Erebidae like Melipotis indomita and Plusiodonta compressipalpis. Spring nights can also turn up the silk moths people hope for: the Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) shows up in the March data. Come fall, the lineup shifts toward crop-associated noctuids, the Corn Earworm (Helicoverpa zea) and Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), plus the grassland Range Caterpillar Moth (Hemileuca oliviae) in October. These are the most-recorded species from open records over an approximate Texas area, not an exhaustive checklist.

What moths are common in Texas right now?

Because Texas runs warm and long, you get moths nearly year-round, but the cast changes month to month. The data here comes from open-licensed GBIF records aggregated across an approximate Texas area, so it reflects what people most often photograph and report at lights, not every species in the state.

A few moths are basically constants. Hypena scabra (the Green Cloverworm moth, a small brown Erebid) appears in almost every month and dominates the cold-season lists, topping the charts in October, November, and December. Galgula partita, Udea rubigalis (the Celery Leaftier), and the Armyworm Moth (Mythimna unipuncta) are similarly persistent background species you should expect on most Texas nights.

When do the big sphinx and silk moths fly?

This is where Texas gets fun. The White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata) is the signature charismatic moth in this dataset. It is the single most-recorded species in March (over 300 records), stays at the top through April and May, and reappears in June, August, and September. It is large, fast, and often seen hovering at flowers at dusk, so spring is your best window for it.

For the giant silk moths (Saturniidae), spring again rewards you: the Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus), a tan moth with dramatic eyespots, shows up in the March list and again in December. Late summer brings a different hawkmoth, the Carolina Sphinx (Manduca sexta) — the adult of the tobacco hornworm — which lands on the August list. And October has a true Texas-and-Southwest specialty: the Range Caterpillar Moth (Hemileuca oliviae), a day-and-dusk-flying buck moth of grasslands. November adds the sphinx Erinnyis obscura. Notably, luna, cecropia, io, and imperial moths do not appear in the most-recorded Texas lists here — so if you find one, it is a genuine treat worth reporting.

How does the lineup change from spring to summer to fall?

Spring (March to May) is the showy season. March is led by the White-lined Sphinx, Isturgia dislocaria, and the Salt Marsh Moth, with Polyphemus arriving. April explodes: the Salt Marsh Moth records jump to their annual peak (over 700), and you add Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma disstria), Archips argyrospila, and the Ailanthus Webworm Moth. May keeps the sphinx-and-tiger-moth flavor but introduces the underwing Catocala micronympha.

Mid-summer (June to August) quiets down into a steady mix of southern Erebidae and grass moths. June and July are dominated by Melipotis indomita, Plusiodonta compressipalpis, Achyra rantalis, and the Acorn Moth (Cydia latiferreana), with Acrolophus burrower moths and crop noctuids like the Corn Earworm (Helicoverpa zea) climbing. August brings the Carolina Sphinx and Spoladea recurvalis (the Beet Webworm).

Fall (September to November) tilts toward agriculture-linked noctuids. September is led by Achyra rantalis, the Corn Earworm, and Hypena scabra, with Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) prominent. October is the busiest fall list of all — heavy on Crambidae grass moths (Agriphila vulgivagellus, Spoladea recurvalis, Euchromius ocellea, Hymenia perspectalis) plus the Range Caterpillar Moth. November shifts to Hypena scabra, the Salt Marsh Moth, and the Velvetbean Caterpillar Moth (Anticarsia gemmatalis).

Winter (December to February) is the leanest stretch, but Texas still produces moths. December and January are ruled by Hypena scabra and Udea rubigalis, while February brings the early geometrids Paleacrita vernata (Spring Cankerworm) and Phigalia strigataria as the first hint of spring.

How do I get tonight's personalized Texas list?

The lists above are monthly snapshots for the whole state. For your exact spot, the tool builds a list tuned to your location and tonight's date from these same open records, then adds a "good mothing night" score based on the weather and moon — warmer, calmer, more humid, darker nights generally bring more moths to a light. Use it to decide whether tonight is worth setting up a sheet and a light. We are a forecast-and-discovery tool, not an identifier: once you have photos, the best places to confirm an ID are iNaturalist and the Moth Photographers Group / BugGuide.