Wyoming's high-elevation nights bring out strong-flying hawk moths like the white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) and Vashti sphinx (Sphinx vashti), plus mountain tiger moths such as the police-car moth (Gnophaela vermiculata) and the spotted tussock moth (Lophocampa maculata). In May you may catch Glover's silkmoth (Hyalophora gloveri) and western tent caterpillar moths (Malacosoma californica), while September is dominated by the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella) and migrant white-lined sphinx moths. What's actually flying depends on your elevation and the date, so check the live tool for tonight's forecast.
What's flying right now
Wyoming is high, dry, and cool, so its moth season runs short and intense, and the cast leans toward sphinx moths and hardy montane tiger moths rather than the giant silk moths of the eastern woods.
Midsummer (July) is the busiest stretch. The fast, nectar-feeding white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) and the Vashti sphinx (Sphinx vashti, a snowberry feeder) hover at flowers at dusk, and Cerisy's sphinx (Smerinthus cerisyi) turns up at lights. Day-flying tiger moths are a Wyoming highlight: the boldly spotted police-car moth (Gnophaela vermiculata) and the spotted tussock moth (Lophocampa maculata). You may also meet the wood tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis) and the garden tiger moth (Arctia caja), both aposematic species that advertise their distastefulness with bright warning colors.
Late spring (May) is sparse but rewarding. This is the window for Glover's silkmoth (Hyalophora gloveri), a western giant silk moth, plus western tent caterpillar moths (Malacosoma californica) and the earliest white-lined sphinx and Vashti sphinx. Like all giant silk moths, adult Glover's silkmoths don't feed at all; they live a week or two on stored energy purely to mate.
Early fall (September) narrows to the toughest fliers: the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella, the woolly bear's adult), the spotted tussock moth again, the introduced leafy spurge hawk moth (Hyles euphorbiae), and a late surge of white-lined sphinx moths.
Tips for mothing in Wyoming
- A UV or mercury-vapor light over a white sheet outperforms white LED. Moths come to short-wavelength light because it disrupts their flight orientation, not because they're hunting it.
- At elevation, cold clamps down fast after dark, so target the warmest, stillest, moonless nights. See the good-night-for-moths guide.
- Many of Wyoming's best moths fly by day, so watch flowers and roadsides too. New to this? Try mothing for beginners.
- This site predicts likely species from open GBIF records by date and location; it does not ID a moth from a photo. For photo ID use iNaturalist or BugGuide.
See tonight's Wyoming forecast
Run the live tool for tonight's predicted species and a good-mothing-night score for your elevation, or browse the state index. National Moth Week falls July 18-26, 2026, in the heart of Wyoming's short season. You can also compare with neighboring Colorado.
Frequently asked
What is the big hovering moth at flowers in Wyoming at dusk?Most likely the white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) or Vashti sphinx (Sphinx vashti). These hawk moths feed on nectar and hover like hummingbirds while feeding, mainly in summer.
Does Wyoming have giant silk moths like the luna?Not the eastern luna, but Wyoming has Glover's silkmoth (Hyalophora gloveri), a western giant silk moth seen mainly in May. Like all giant silk moths, the adults don't feed.
What is the black moth with white spots flying by day in Wyoming?Likely the police-car moth (Gnophaela vermiculata), a day-flying tiger moth of mountain meadows, or the spotted tussock moth (Lophocampa maculata). Both fly in summer.
When is the best time to see moths in Wyoming?July is peak, with the most sphinx and tiger moths. Wyoming's season is short, so target warm, still, moonless nights from late May into September.
Can this site identify a moth from a 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 the Moth Photographers Group.
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.