Denver-Boulder Metro Area: Butterflies and Moths
This guide contains butterflies and moths that can be found in the Denver-Boulder Metro Area, including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties.
Four-spotted Moth
Tyta luctuosa is a noctuid ("owlet") moth. Its common names include four-spotted moth and field bindweed moth. It is the only member of the genus Tyta, which forms a hitherto monotypic tribe Tytini in the Catocalinae subfamily.
Montana Six-plume Moth
Alucita montana, the Montana six-plume moth, is a moth of the Alucitidae family. It was described by William Barnes and Arthur Ward Lindsey in 1921. It is found in North America from south-western Quebec and Vermont, west to British Columbia and south to Arizona, California and Texas.
Brown Bark Carpet Moth
Horisme intestinata, the brown bark carpet moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is widespread throughout most of temperate North America. The habitat consists of wooded areas.
Gem Moth
The Gem (Orthonama obstipata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a common species of Continental Europe and adjacent lands, though in the northeast, its range does not significantly extend beyond the Baltic region and it is absent from northern Russia. This well-flying species is somewhat prone to vagrancy and able to cross considerable distances of open sea; it ...more ↓
Bent-line Carpet Moth
Costaconvexa centrostrigaria, the traveller or bent-line carpet, is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is native to most of North America, except the Arctic. It is an introduced species in Great Britain, the Canary Islands, the Azores and Madeira.
Barberry Geometer Moth
Coryphista meadii, the barberry geometer moth or barberry looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in the United States and southern Canada.
Maple Spanworm Moth
Ennomos magnaria, known by the common names maple spanworm moth, notched wing moth, notched-wing geometer, and notch-wing moth, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from coast to coast in southern Canada and the northern United States, south in the east to Florida and Louisiana and in the west to California.
Macaria adonis
Macaria adonis is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Black-banded Orange Moth
Epelis truncataria, the black-banded orange, is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Curve-lined Angle
Digrammia continuata, the curve-lined angle, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from New Brunswick to Florida, west to California and north to Manitoba.
Pale-lined Angle
Digrammia irrorata is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in the western United States and south-western Canada (from Oklahoma to California, north to British Columbia and Alberta).
Vermilion Granite Moth
Digrammia subminiata, the vermillion granite or dark-waved angle, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from British Columbia to Manitoba, south through Colorado to Arizona and California.
Brown-bordered Geometer Moth
Eumacaria is a genus of moth in the family Geometridae. It contains only one species, Eumacaria madopata, the brown-bordered geometer moth, which is found in North America, where it has been recorded from British Columbia, northern Washington, southern Saskatchewan, from Maine to Florida, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado and New ...more ↓
White Spring Moth
Lomographa vestaliata, the White Spring Moth, is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Newfoundland west to south-eastern British Columbia and south to Florida and Texas. The habitat consists of xeric shrubby edges and woodlands.
Pale Metanema Moth
Metanema inatomaria, the pale metanema or yellow-lined thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from east-central British Columbia and southern Northwest Territories and Yukon, east to Nova Scotia, south to Mississippi, Texas and Arizona.
White Slant-line
The White Slant-line or White Slaut (Tetracis cachexiata) is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found from Nova Scotia to central British Columbia, south to northern Florida and west to Montana and northern Colorado.
Western Conifer Looper
Caripeta aequaliaria, known generally as the red girdle or western conifer looper, is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Melemaea magdalena
Melemaea magdalena is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Common Gray
Anavitrinella pampinaria, the common gray, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in most of North America except the arctic regions, south to Mexico.
Half-wing Moth
The Spiny Looper (Phigalia titea) is a species of moth in the Geometridae family. The average wingspan is about 34 mm.
Johnson's Euchlaena Moth
Euchlaena johnsonaria, Johnson's euchlaena moth, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from southern coastal British Columbia east to Nova Scotia, south to New Jersey, Missouri and Oregon. The habitat consists of deciduous wooded areas.
Horned Spanworm Moth
Nematocampa resistaria, commonly known as the filament bearer, bordered thorn or horned spanworm moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, south to Florida and California.
Blackberry Looper Moth
Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria, the blackberry looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from Nova Scotia to Florida, west in Canada to Manitoba, west in the United States to the Rocky Mountains, and south into Mexico.
Wavy-lined Emerald
Synchlora aerata, the wavy-lined emerald moth or camouflaged looper, is a species of moth of the Geometridae family. It is found in most of North America.
Soft-lined Wave
Scopula inductata (soft-lined wave) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Guenée in 1857. It is found in North America, east of the Rocky Mountains, from Newfoundland to the coast of British Columbia, north to the Northwest Territories, south to Alabama and at least Utah.
Large Lace-border Moth
Scopula limboundata, the large lace-border, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Haworth in 1809. It is found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains. There is a single and unconfirmed record from Great Britain.
Speckled Wave
Lobocleta peralbata is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Arizona to Florida, north to North Carolina.
Red-bordered Wave
Idaea demissaria, the red-bordered wave moth, is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Idaea gemmata
Idaea gemmata is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Idaea occidentaria
Idaea occidentaria is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America.
Chickweed Geometer Moth
Haematopis grataria, the chickweed geometer, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the United States. In Canada it is found from Quebec to Alberta, north to the Northwest Territories.
Dwarf Tawny Wave
Cyclophora nanaria, the dwarf tawny wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from California to Texas and from New Jersey to Florida west along the Gulf coast. The range extends south through Dominica and Jamaica to Argentina. It is an introduced species in Hawaii.
Infant Moth
The Infant (Archiearis infans) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from Alaska to Newfoundland and the northern United States, south in the east to New Jersey, south in the west to California.
Meal moth
Pyralis farinalis, the meal moth, is a cosmopolitan moth of the family Pyralidae. Its larvae (caterpillars) are pests of certain stored foods, namely milled plant products.
Pink-fringed Dolichomia Moth
Hypsopygia binodulalis, the pink-fringed dolichomia moth, is a species of snout moth in the genus Hypsopygia. It was described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1872 and is found in the US from Texas to Florida, as well as in Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Clover Hayworm Moth
Hypsopygia costalis, the gold triangle or clover hay moth, is a species of moth of the family Pyralidae. It was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775 and is found in Europe. The wingspan is 16–23 mm. The adult moths fly from May to July, depending on the location. The supposed species H. aurotaenialis is included here pending further study.
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia Moth
The Yellow-fringed Dolichomia (Hypsopygia olinalis) is a moth of the Pyralidae family. It is found in eastern North America.
Large Tabby
Aglossa pinguinalis, also known as the large tabby and grease moth, is a moth in the Pyralinae subfamily.
Ponderosa Pine Coneworm Moth
Dioryctria auranticella, the ponderosa pineconeworm moth, is a species of moth of the family Pyralidae. It is found in western North America from southern British Columbia south to California and Arizona, east to South Dakota and New Mexico.
Dusky Raisin Moth
Ephestiodes gilvescentella, the dusky raisin moth, is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is native to North America, where it has been recorded from California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Utah, Montana, Alberta and British Columbia. It was introduced to Hawaii by commerce.
Boxwood Leaftier Moth
Galasa nigrinodis, the boxwood leaftier moth or boxwood webworm, is moth of the family Pyralidae. It is found in eastern North America.
Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
Spoladea recurvalis, sometimes known by the common name Beet Webworm Moth or Hawaiian Beet Webworm, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is found worldwide, but mainly in the tropics.
Fractured Western Snout
Diastictis fracturalis, the fractured western snout moth, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Zeller in 1872. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from California to South Dakota, Colorado and Louisiana. It is also found in Mexico (Sonora, Guerrero, Jalisco).
White-spotted Brown
Diastictis ventralis, the white-spotted brown moth, is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is found in eastern North America.
Four-spotted Palpita Moth
Palpita quadristigmalis, the four-spotted palpita moth, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Quebec and Ontario to Florida, west to Arizona and north to Colorado.
Sesame Leafroller
Antigastra catalaunalis is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is endemic to tropical and subtropical areas, but is also found in other areas due to its migratory nature.
Lucerne Moth
The Lucerne Moth, Clover Nomophila, False Webworm, Celery Stalkworm or American Celery Webworm (Nomophila nearctica) is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is known from southern Canada and all of the United States, south to Mexico and the Neotropics.
Celery Leaftier Moth
The celery leaftier or greenhouse leaftier (Udea rubigalis) is a member of the Crambidae family which has a range throughout North America, Central America and South America.
Dogbane Saucrobotys Moth
Saucrobotys futilalis, the dogbane saucrobotys moth, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Lederer in 1863. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from the north-east to British Columbia and south to Texas and California.
Alfalfa Webworm Moth
The Alfalfa Webworm (Loxostege cereralis) is a species of moth of the Crambidae family. It is found from Quebec to British Columbia, south to Mexico in the west.
Beet Webworm Moth
Loxostege sticticalis is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Linnaeus in 1761. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone and Nearctic ecozone.
Hahncappsia pergilvalis
Hahncappsia pergilvalis is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Hulst in 1886. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Ontario and the north-eastern and south-western United States. It is also present in Mexico, where it has been recorded from the Federal District, Puebla and Jalisco.
Raspberry Pyrausta Moth
Pyrausta signatalis, the raspberry pyrausta moth, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Walker in 1866. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from British Columbia to Ontario, south to North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Arizona. The habitat consists of Aspen Parkland and grasslands.
Volupial Mint Moth
Pyrausta volupialis is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Grote in 1877. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Oklahoma, Utah, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and California to Mexico (Chiapas).
Orange Mint Moth
The Orange Mint Moth or Orange-spotted Pyrausta (Pyrausta orphisalis) is a species of moth of the Crambidae family. It is found from Newfoundland west to British Columbia, south to Florida and New Mexico.
Topiary Grass-veneer
The Topiary Grass-veneer Moth, Subterranean Sod Webworm or Cranberry Girdler (Chrysoteuchia topiarius) is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is found in most of North America.
Vagabond Sod Webworm Moth
Agriphila vulgivagellus, the vagabond crambus or vagabond sod webworm, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It is found from Quebec and New England to Florida, west to Texas and north to Alberta.
Sod Webworm Moth
Pediasia trisecta, the large sod webworm or greater sod webworm, is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is found in the United States and southern Canada.
Leach's Grass-veneer
Crambus leachellus, Leach's Grass-veneer, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Zincken in 1818. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Ontario and Maryland to Florida, west to California and Oregon. The habitat consists of grasslands and meadows.
Common Grass-veneer
Crambus praefectellus, the common grass-veneer or silver-striped webworm, is a moth of the Crambidae family described by Johann Leopold Theodor Friedrich Zincken in 1821. It is found in the United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains.
Belted Grass-veneer
Euchromius ocellea, the necklace veneer, is a moth of the family Crambidae described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1811. It is a widespread species, found in tropical and subtropical regions, but migrates to Europe.
Curve-lined Argyria Moth
Argyria auratellus, the Curve-lined Vaxi or Curve-lined Argyria Moth, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Clemens in 1860. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada from Quebec and Maine to Florida, west to Texas and north to Manitoba. It is also found in California. The ...more ↓
Sooty-winged Chalcoela Moth
The Sooty-winged chalcoela (Chalcoela iphitalis) is a member of the Crambidae family that occurs throughout North America. They are seen as far south as California and South Carolina and as north as Ontario. Adults can been seen from May to August. The head, body and front portion of the forewings are yellow-orange while the hindwing and back portion forewings are grey and ...more ↓
Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer
The Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (Harrisina metallica) is a species of moth of the Zygaenidae family. It is found in the South-western parts of the United States, from California to Texas, north to Colorado and Utah and in northern Mexico.
Diamondback Moth
The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), sometimes called cabbage moth, is a European moth believed to originate in the Mediterranean region that has since spread worldwide. The moth has a short life cycle (14 days at 25°C), is highly fecund and capable of migrating long distances. It is one of the most important pests of cruciferous crops in the world and will usually ...more ↓
Canary Ypsolopha Moth
Ypsolopha canariella, the canary ypsolopha moth, is a moth of the family Ypsolophidae. It is found throughout North America from sea level up to elevations of 1,830 meters. In Canada it occurs in most provinces, from British Columbia and Alberta to Ontario. It is present in most of the continental United States. It is known from a wide variety of habitats, including mixed ...more ↓
Gerdana caritella
Gerdana is a genus of moths in the Autostichidae family. It contains only one species, Gerdana caritella, which is found in North America, where it has been recorded from south-eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Taygete decemmaculella
Taygete decemmaculella is a moth in the Autostichidae family. It was described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1875. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming.
Four-spotted Yellowneck Moth
Oegoconia novimundi is a moth of the Symmocidae family. It is found in Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, former Serbia and Montenegro, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece and on Corsica and the Azores.
Poison Hemlock Moth
The Hemlock Moth, also known as the Defoliating Hemlock Moth or Poison Hemlock Moth, is a moth species of the family Oecophoridae (concealer moths). Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Depressariinae, which is (particularly in older sources) sometimes placed in the related family Elachistidae instead, or elevated to a full family Depressariidae within the Gelechioidea. ...more ↓
Ethmia albistrigella
Ethmia albistrigella is a moth in the Ethmiidae family. It is found from southern British Columbia southward in the Rocky Mountains to south-western Colorado and into the Wasatch Range in northern Utah. On the Pacific coast it ranges through western Washington and Oregon into the mountains of California. Subspecies icariella is an Arctic-Alpine zone race which has only ...more ↓
Mountain-mahogany Moth
The Mountain-mahogany Moth (Ethmia discostrigella) is a moth in the Ethmiidae family. It is found from the western United States, south into Mexico.
Ethmia semitenebrella
Ethmia semitenebrella is a moth in the Ethmiidae family. It is found from Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Nuevo León in Mexico to Arizona and southern and eastern California.
Gray Ethmia Moth
The gray ethmia moth (Ethmia monticola) is a moth in the Depressariidae family. It is found in North America from British Columbia and Alberta to California and Arizona, east at least to North Dakota and Colorado.
Ethmia marmorea
Ethmia marmorea is a moth in the Ethmiidae family. It is found in the lower parts of the Great Basin mountain ranges and the Rocky Mountains from south-eastern British Columbia and the eastern parts of the Pacific states to northern and central Colorado and central Chihuahua.
Ethmia mirusella
Ethmia mirusella is a moth in the Depressariidae family. It is found in the United States from Kansas and Oklahoma to central and western Texas.
Chionodes abella
Chionodes abella is a moth in the Gelechiidae family. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Idaho and south-western British Columbia to Colorado, Texas and California.
American Lappet Moth
Phyllodesma americana, the American lappet moth, is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae. It is found from Nova Scotia to Georgia, west through Texas to California, north to British Columbia and Yukon.
Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
The eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) is a species of moth in the family Lasiocampidae, the tent caterpillars or lappet moths. It is univoltine, producing one generation per year. It is a tent caterpillar, a social species that forms communal nests in the branches of trees. It is sometimes confused with the gypsy moth and the fall webworm, and may be erroneously ...more ↓
Western Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma californicum, the western tent caterpillar, is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae. It is a tent caterpillar. It is found in the western part of the Nearctic ecozone.
Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma incurva, the southwestern tent caterpillar moth, is a species of moth of the family Lasiocampidae. It is found in south-western North America, including Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.
Sonoran Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma tigris, the sonoran tent caterpillar, is a species of insect in the family of moths known as Lasiocampidae.
Aspen Serpentine Leafminer Moth
The common aspen leaf miner or aspen serpentine leafminer (Phyllocnistis populiella) is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is found in northern North America, including Alberta, Massachusetts, Ontario and Alaska.
Glorious Habrosyne Moth
Habrosyne gloriosa, the Glorious Habrosyne Moth, is a moth in the Drepanidae family. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from the northern United States, south in the Rocky Mountains to Arizona. In Canada, it is found in Ontario and Quebec.
Lettered Habrosyne Moth
The Lettered Habrosyne or Scribe (Habrosyne scripta) is a moth of the Drepanidae family. It is found in southern Canada and the northern United States, from Labrador to Vancouver Island, south in the Appalachians, Ozarks and Rocky Mountains to North Carolina and Mississippi and south in the west to Arizona.
