Moths Flying in Wisconsin Tonight

In Wisconsin tonight you're most likely to see the day-flying Virginia ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica), the painted lichen moth (Hypoprepia fucosa), and the invasive spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) in midsummer, plus the white-marked tussock moth (Orgyia leucostigma). Late May is dominated by eastern tent caterpillar moths (Malacosoma americana) and the Virginia ctenucha, while September brings fuzzy fall moths like the banded tussock moth (Halysidota tessellaris), the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), and the white underwing (Catocala relicta). The exact lineup depends on your county and the date, so check the live tool for tonight.

Most-recorded moths in Wisconsin in July

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	58
2	Hypoprepia fucosa	Erebidae	49
3	Macaria pustularia	Geometridae	45
4	Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	Erebidae	42
5	Scopula limboundata	Geometridae	34
6	Microcrambus elegans	Crambidae	32
7	White-marked Tussock Moth Orgyia leucostigma	Erebidae	31
8	Mellilla xanthometata	Geometridae	29
9	Nematocampa resistaria	Geometridae	28
10	Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth Malacosoma disstria	Lasiocampidae	27
11	Phyllocnistis vitifoliella	Gracillariidae	27
12	Ailanthus Webworm Moth Atteva punctella	Attevidae	26
13	Nomophila nearctica	Crambidae	24
14	Hummingbird Clearwing Hemaris thysbe	Sphingidae	24
15	Gluphisia septentrionis	Notodontidae	23
16	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	23
17	Sphinx canadensis	Sphingidae	22
18	Pachysphinx modesta	Sphingidae	22

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

What's flying right now

Wisconsin spans northern hardwood and conifer forest down to southern prairie edges, and its moths shift noticeably across the season.

Midsummer (July) is the peak for variety. The Virginia ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica) is a standout, a metallic blue-bodied, orange-headed tiger moth that flies by day at flowers. Joining it: the painted lichen moth (Hypoprepia fucosa), the geometrids Macaria pustularia and Scopula limboundata, the small grass-veneer Microcrambus elegans, and the white-marked tussock moth (Orgyia leucostigma). The invasive spongy moth (Lymantria dispar, formerly gypsy moth) is also abundant at lights, an introduced defoliator worth knowing on sight.

Late spring (May) is quieter, built around eastern tent caterpillar moths (Malacosoma americana), an early flush of the Virginia ctenucha, and northern geometrids like Cladara limitaria and Anticlea vasiliata.

Early fall (September) turns fuzzy. The banded tussock moth (Halysidota tessellaris) and the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella, the adult of the woolly bear) are the headliners, alongside the dramatic white underwing (Catocala relicta), a bark-camouflaged moth that flashes black-and-white hindwings when it flushes. Don't handle tussock caterpillars; their hairs can irritate skin.

Tips for mothing in Wisconsin

A UV or mercury-vapor light over a white sheet pulls far more moths than white LED. Moths come strongly to short-wavelength light because it disrupts their flight orientation, not because they're seeking it.
Aim for warm, humid, still, moonless nights. The good-night-for-moths guide walks through the conditions.
First time out? Read mothing for beginners.
This site predicts likely species from open GBIF records by date and place; it does not ID a moth from a photo. For that, use iNaturalist or BugGuide.

See tonight's Wisconsin forecast

Open the live tool for tonight's predicted species and a good-mothing-night score, or browse the state index. National Moth Week lands July 18-26, 2026, right when Wisconsin's diversity peaks. You can also compare with neighboring Minnesota.

Moths in Wisconsin by month (full year)

January

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Agonopterix nigrinotella	Depressariidae	2
2	Agonopterix eupatoriiella	Depressariidae	2
3	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	2
4	Eupsilia morrisoni	Noctuidae	2
5	Eupsilia vinulenta	Noctuidae	2
6	Acleris schalleriana	Tortricidae	2
7	Ypsolopha falciferella	Ypsolophidae	1
8	Agonopterix paulae	Depressariidae	1
9	Caloptilia umbratella	Gracillariidae	1
10	Caloptilia fraxinella	Gracillariidae	1

February

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Callosamia promethea	Saturniidae	4
2	Coleophora laricella	Coleophoridae	3
3	Agonopterix curvilineella	Depressariidae	3
4	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	2
5	Marmara salictella	Gracillariidae	2
6	Phyllonorycter ledella	Gracillariidae	2
7	Phyllocnistis insignis	Gracillariidae	2
8	Cerma cerintha	Noctuidae	1
9	Alucita montana	Alucitidae	1
10	Coleophora benestrigatella	Coleophoridae	1

March

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	19
2	Paleacrita vernata	Geometridae	10
3	Eupsilia devia	Noctuidae	9
4	Paleacrita merriccata	Geometridae	7
5	Archiearis infans	Geometridae	7
6	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	7
7	Lithophane franclemonti	Noctuidae	5
8	Lithophane disposita	Noctuidae	5
9	Phigalia strigataria	Geometridae	4
10	Phigalia titea	Geometridae	4

April

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	23
2	Archiearis infans	Geometridae	19
3	Phigalia titea	Geometridae	15
4	Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	Erebidae	13
5	Mythimna unipuncta	Noctuidae	9
6	Lithophane fagina	Noctuidae	8
7	Lithophane lanei	Noctuidae	7
8	Leucobrephos brephoides	Geometridae	7
9	Semioscopis inornata	Depressariidae	7
10	Brachionycha borealis	Noctuidae	7

May

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Malacosoma americana	Lasiocampidae	65
2	Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	Erebidae	40
3	Cladara limitaria	Geometridae	26
4	Coranarta luteola	Noctuidae	25
5	Anticlea vasiliata	Geometridae	23
6	Phigalia titea	Geometridae	17
7	Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus	Saturniidae	17
8	Eutrapela clemataria	Geometridae	16
9	Trichodezia albovittata	Geometridae	16
10	Cladara atroliturata	Geometridae	14

June

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	Erebidae	83
2	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	57
3	Campaea perlata	Geometridae	50
4	Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth Malacosoma disstria	Lasiocampidae	44
5	Haploa lecontei	Erebidae	38
6	Malacosoma americana	Lasiocampidae	37
7	Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus	Saturniidae	37
8	Gluphisia septentrionis	Notodontidae	36
9	Clostera albosigma	Notodontidae	32
10	Rosy Maple Moth Dryocampa rubicunda	Saturniidae	31

July

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	58
2	Hypoprepia fucosa	Erebidae	49
3	Macaria pustularia	Geometridae	45
4	Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	Erebidae	42
5	Scopula limboundata	Geometridae	34
6	Microcrambus elegans	Crambidae	32
7	White-marked Tussock Moth Orgyia leucostigma	Erebidae	31
8	Mellilla xanthometata	Geometridae	29
9	Nematocampa resistaria	Geometridae	28
10	Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth Malacosoma disstria	Lasiocampidae	27

August

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Euchaetes egle	Erebidae	103
2	Banded Tussock Moth Halysidota tessellaris	Erebidae	40
3	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	38
4	Ailanthus Webworm Moth Atteva punctella	Attevidae	33
5	Haematopis grataria	Geometridae	32
6	Phyllocnistis vitifoliella	Gracillariidae	29
7	White-marked Tussock Moth Orgyia leucostigma	Erebidae	28
8	Phyllocnistis populiella	Gracillariidae	28
9	Campaea perlata	Geometridae	25
10	Prochoerodes lineola	Geometridae	24

September

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Banded Tussock Moth Halysidota tessellaris	Erebidae	54
2	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	38
3	Catocala relicta	Erebidae	30
4	Prochoerodes lineola	Geometridae	29
5	Haematopis grataria	Geometridae	26
6	Campaea perlata	Geometridae	25
7	Ennomos magnaria	Geometridae	22
8	Virginian Tiger Moth Spilosoma virginica	Erebidae	21
9	Cisseps fulvicollis	Erebidae	21
10	White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineata	Sphingidae	20

October

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	77
2	Erannis tiliaria	Geometridae	20
3	Helicoverpa zea	Noctuidae	19
4	Epirrita autumnata	Geometridae	17
5	Operophtera bruceata	Geometridae	15
6	Anticarsia gemmatalis	Erebidae	12
7	Acleris oxycoccana	Tortricidae	12
8	Alsophila pometaria	Geometridae	11
9	Epiglaea decliva	Noctuidae	11
10	Striacosta albicosta	Noctuidae	9

November

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Operophtera bruceata	Geometridae	21
2	Alsophila pometaria	Geometridae	13
3	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	13
4	Phyllonorycter basistrigella	Gracillariidae	5
5	Coptotriche citrinipennella	Tischeriidae	3
6	Erannis tiliaria	Geometridae	3
7	Anomis erosa	Erebidae	3
8	Anticarsia gemmatalis	Erebidae	3
9	Alucita montana	Alucitidae	2
10	Cameraria fletcherella	Gracillariidae	2

December

#	Species	Family	Records
1	Pyrrharctia isabella	Erebidae	7
2	Hypena scabra	Erebidae	2
3	Alucita montana	Alucitidae	2
4	Alsophila pometaria	Geometridae	2
5	Cecropia Moth Hyalophora cecropia	Saturniidae	2
6	Agonopterix pulvipennella	Depressariidae	2
7	Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar	Erebidae	2
8	Caloptilia ostryaeella	Gracillariidae	1
9	Costaconvexa centrostrigaria	Geometridae	1
10	Triphosa haesitata	Geometridae	1

Frequently asked

What is the blue moth with an orange head in Wisconsin?

That's the Virginia ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica), a day-flying tiger moth with an iridescent blue-black body and orange head. It's common at flowers in June and July.

Are spongy moths bad in Wisconsin?

Yes. The spongy moth (Lymantria dispar, formerly gypsy moth) is an invasive introduced pest in Wisconsin. Its caterpillars defoliate oaks and other hardwoods, and adults are common at midsummer lights.

What is the black-and-white moth that flashes its wings in fall?

Likely the white underwing (Catocala relicta), a September moth that rests camouflaged on pale bark and flashes banded black-and-white hindwings when disturbed.

When is the best time to see moths in Wisconsin?

July offers the most variety, but warm humid nights from May through September all produce moths. Still, moonless nights are best.

Can this site tell me what moth is in my photo?

No. Tonight's Moths predicts likely species by your location and date from open GBIF records. For photo ID, try iNaturalist, Seek, BugGuide, 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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