Moths in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has different moth species thriving here belonging to various families like Erebidae, Geometer, and Saturniidae. One of the common moths being a menace to the entire state due to its increased infestation is the gypsy moth of the Erebidae family. Other moths of this family also inhabit Rhode Island, like the yellowish Sycamore tussock moth, damaging sycamore trees, and the colorful spotted Isabella tiger moth. The yellowish imperial moth with a patched appearance and the greenish luna moth, both in the Saturniidae family, are some of the biggest moths here. The snowberry clearwing closely replicating a bumblebee due to its black and yellow abdominal segment is the biggest in its family.
Large Moths: Imperial Moth, Luna Moth, Snowberry Clearwing Moth
Common Moths: Gypsy Moth, Winter Moth
Here is the list of moths found in Rhode Island arranged in order of the family they belong.
Erebidae Moths
- Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar)
- Sycamore Tussock Moth (Halysidota harrisii)
- Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella)
- Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae)
- Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica)
- Black-and-yellow Lichen Moth (Lycomorpha pholus)
- Virginia Ctenucha Moth (Ctenucha virginica)
- Orange Holomelina (Virbia aurantiaca)
- Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis)
- Great Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia)
- Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle)
- Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene)
- Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia miniata)
- Agreeable Tiger Moth (Spilosoma congrua)
- Harnessed Moth (Apantesis phalerata)
- Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris)
- Bent-winged Owlet Moth (Bleptina caradrinalis)
- Green Cloverworm Moth (Hypena scabra)
- The Widow Moth (Catocala vidua)
- The Betrothed Moth (Catocala innubens)
- White Underwing Moth (Catocala relicta)
- The Little Wife Underwing Moth (Catocala muliercula)
- Ultronia Underwing Moth (Catocala ultronia)
- Forage Looper Moth (Caenurgina erechtea)
- Spotted Grass Moth (Rivula propinqualis)
- Fir Tussock Moth (Orgyia detrita)
- White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)
- Definite Tussock Moth (Orgyia definita)
Geometer Moths
- Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
- The Infant Moth (Archiearis infans)
- Horned Spanworm Moth (Nematocampa resistaria)
- Lemon Plagodis Moth (Plagodis serinaria)
- Honest Pero Moth (Pero honestaria)
- Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth (Speranza pustularia)
- Pale Beauty Moth (Campaea perlata)
- Pepper and Salt Geometer Moth (Biston betularia)
- Six-spotted Angle Moth (Macaria sexmaculata)
- Spiny Looper (Phigalia titea)
- Juniper Geometer (Patalene olyzonaria)
- Elm Spanworm Moth (Ennomos subsignaria)
- Oak Besma Moth (Besma quercivoraria)
- Oak Beauty (Phaeoura quernaria)
- Curved-Toothed Geometer (Eutrapela clemataria)
- Large Maple Spanworm Moth (Prochoerodes lineola)
- Confused Eusarca Moth (Eusarca confusaria)
- The Small Engrailed Moth (Ectropis crepuscularia)
- White Slant-line Moth (Tetracis cachexiata)
- Maple Spanworm Moth (Ennomos magnaria)
- Chain-dotted Geometer Moth (Tetracis crocallata)
- Yellow Slant-line Moth (Tetracis crocallata)
- Bent-Lined Gray Moth (Iridopsis larvaria)
- White-fringed Emerald Moth (Nemoria mimosaria)
- Three-spotted Fillip Moth (Heterophleps triguttaria)
- Barberry Geometer Moth (Coryphista meadii)
- Green Pug Moth (Pasiphila rectangulata)
- Drab Brown Wave Moth (Lobocleta ossularia)
- Common Tan Wave Moth (Pleuroprucha insulsaria)
- Single-dotted Wave Moth (Idaea dimidiate)
- Large Lace-border Moth (Scopula limboundata)
- Chickweed Geometer Moth (Haematopis grataria)
Saturniidae Moths
- Luna Moth (Actias luna)
- Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis)
- Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda)
- Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus)
- Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia)
- Promethea Silkmoth (Callosamia promethea)
- Tuliptree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera)
- Orange-tipped Oakworm Moth (Anisota senatoria)
- Spiny Oakworm Moth ( Anisota stigma)
- Pink-striped Oakworm Moth (Anisota virginiensis)
- Regal Moth (Citheronia regalis)
Hawk Moths
- Blinded Sphinx Moth (Paonias excaecata)
- Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)
- Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe)
- Wild Cherry Sphinx Moth (Sphinx drupiferarum)
- Apple Sphinx Moth (Sphinx gordius)
- Poecila Sphinx Moth (Sphinx poecila)
- Waved Sphinx Moth (Ceratomia undulosa)
- Great Ash Sphinx Moth (Sphinx chersis)
- Northern Pine Sphinx Moth (Lapara bombycoides)
- Southern Pine Sphinx Moth (Lapara coniferarum)
- Twin-spotted Sphinx Moth (Smerinthus jamaicensis)
- Small-eyed Sphinx Moth (Paonias myops)
- Carolina Sphinx Moth (Manduca sexta)
- Laurel Sphinx Moth (Sphinx kalmiae)
- Pink-spotted Hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata)
- Nessus Sphinx Moth (Amphion floridensis)
- Lettered Sphinx Moth (Deidamia inscriptum)
Prominent Moths
- Yellow-necked Caterpillar Moth (Datana ministra)
- Double-toothed Prominent Moth (Nerice bidentata)
- Angulose Prominent (Peridea angulosa)
- Variable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth (Lochmaeus manteo)
- White-dotted Prominent Moth (Nadata gibbosa)
- Common Gluphisia Moth (Gluphisia septentrionis)
- Unicorn Caterpillar Moth (Schizura unicornis)
- White-blotched Heterocampa Moth (Heterocampa umbrata)
- Georgian Prominent Moth (Hyperaeschra georgica)
Owlet Moths
- American Dagger Moth (Acronicta americana)
- Eight-spotted Forester Moth (Alypia octomaculata)
- Tufted Bird-Dropping Moth (Cerma cerintha)
- The Green Marvel Moth (Agriopodes fallax)
- Smeared Dagger Moth (Acronicta oblinita)
- The Hebrew Moth (Polygrammate hebraeicum)
- Speared Dagger Moth (Acronicta hasta)
- Harris’ Three Spot Moth (Harrisimemna trisignata)
- Pleasant Dagger Moth (Acronicta laetifica)
- American Angle Shades Moth (Euplexia benesimilis)
- Veiled Ear Moth (Loscopia velata)
- White-dotted Groundling Moth (Condica videns)
- Copper Underwing Moth (Amphipyra pyramidoides)
- Elder Shoot Borer Moth (Achatodes zeae)
- Brown-hooded Owlet (Cucullia convexipennis)
- Unspotted Looper Moth (Allagrapha aerea)
- Soybean Looper Moth (Chrysodeixis includes)
- Bilobed Looper Moth (Megalographa biloba)
- Bicolored Woodgrain Moth (Morrisonia evicta)
- Speckled Cutworm Moth (Lacanobia subjuncta)
- Intractable Quaker Moth (Himella fidelis)
- Signate Quaker Moth (Tricholita signata)
- Distinct Quaker Moth (Achatia distinct)
- Ursula Wainscot Moth (Leucania ursula)
- False Wainscot Moth (Leucania pseudargyria)
- Bristly Cutworm Moth (Lacinipolia renigera)
- Norman’s Quaker Moth (Crocigrapha normani)
- European Yellow Underwing Moth (Noctua pronuba)
- Bent-Line Dart Moth (Choephora fungorum)
- Dingy Cutworm Moth (Feltia jaculifera)
- Scalloped Sallow Moth (Eucirroedia pampina)
- Brown Angle Shades Moth (Phlogophora periculosa)
- Rubbed Dart Moth (Euxoa deters)
- Brown-collared Dart Moth (Protolampra brunneicollis)
- Master’s Dart Moth (Feltia herilis)
- Primrose Moth (Schinia florida)
- Corn Earworm Moth (Helicoverpa zea)
- Goldenrod Flower Moth (Schinia nundina)
- Grapevine Epimenis Moth (Psychomorpha epimenis)
- Beautiful Wood-nymph (Eudryas grata)
Tuft Moths
- Three-spotted Nola Moth (Nola triquetrana)
Tortrix Moths
- Dusky Leafroller Moth (Orthotaenia undulana)
- Doubleday’s Notocelia Moth (Notocelia rosaecolana)
- Goldenrod Gall Moth (Epiblema scudderiana)
- Bayberry Leaftier Moth (Strepsicrates smithiana)
- Red Banded Leafroller Moth (Argyrotaenia velutinana)
- Tufted Apple-Bud Moth (Platynota idaeusalis)
Crambid Snout Moths
- Dimorphic Leafcutter Moth (Neargyractis slossonalis)
- Gold-stripe Grass-veneer Moth (Microcrambus biguttellus)
- Bluegrass Webworm Moth (Parapediasia teterrella)
- Dogbane Saucrobotys Moth (Saucrobotys futilalis)
- Spotted Beet Webworm Moth (Hymenia perspectalis)
- Splendid Palpita Moth (Palpita magniferalis)
- Pickleworm Moth (Diaphania nitidalis)
- Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth (Spoladea recurvalis)
- White Spotted Sable Moth (Anania funebris)
Snout Moths
- Dimorphic Macalla Moth (Epipaschia superatalis)
- Double-humped Pococera Moth (Pococera expandens)
- Beehive Honey Moth (Vitula serratilineella)
- Striped Sumac Leafroller Moth (Sciota subfuscella)
- Sweetgum Leafroller Moth (Sciota uvinella)
- Elm Leaftier Moth (Canarsia ulmiarrosorella)
- Red-shawled Moth (Dolichomia intermedialis)
- Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis)
