11 Wildly Colored Moths to Brighten Your Day

Rosy Maple Moth

Dryocampa rubicunda

Known for its fuzzy pink legs and remarkable yellow body, you can spot this insect in the late afternoon and throughout the evening. As its name implies, the caterpillars use maple trees as hosts.

Range: eastern United States
Host Plants: maple trees

Cecropia Silkmoth

Hyalophora cecropia

With a striking red and white body and an alluring red, white and dark brown wing pattern, the cecropia silkmoth has a frosted look about it due to the hair-like scales on its wings.

Range:  east of the Rocky Mountains
Host plants: trees and shrubs including willows, alders, birches, sugar maples and box elders

Luna Moth

Actias luna

This somewhat-legendary moth has pale green wings, multiple transparent eyespots and two long curving tails. There’s a strip of pink (and sometimes yellow) coloring along the edges of its large wings. It actively flies at night.

“Luna moths are likely not toxic,” says Kawahara. “Nobody actually knows why they’re pale green.” Scientists think the color is to make them look like a leaf and protect them from predators. “We have shown that luna moth tails spin while flying, and the spinning fools hunting bats,” he says.

Range:  eastern U.S.
Host plants: trees including white birches, sweet gums, hickories and sumacs

Southern Flannel Moth

Megalopyge opercularis

The southern flannel moth is sometimes called the “Trumpapilla,” due to its bright yellow body which some say resembles President Donald Trump’s hair. It has creamy yellow body and wings, with an orangish base. Try not to touch one, as this little bug has stinging hairs hidden underneath its soft, dense hairs.

Range:  southeastern U.S.
Host plants: trees and shrubs including oaks, apple trees, and rose bushes

Achemon Sphinx

Eumorpha achemon

The Achemon sphinx’s large brown wings have prominent, squarish dark spots, and when the wings spread, they reveal impressive pink hindwings. It’s mostly visible in the evening, and because of its voracious appetite, it’s known as a pest at some vineyards.

Range:  U.S., except Pacific Northwest
Host plants: grapes, ampelopsis and more

Beautiful Wood-nymph

Eudryas grata fabricius

Primarily white in color, the beautiful wood nymph has eye-pleasing pops of color on its body, including a reddish-brown band on the tip of its wings and reveals bright yellow underneath. When at rest, this bug rolls up its wings to make predators think it’ a bird dropping.

Range:  eastern U.S.
Host plants: Virginia creepers, hops, grapes, etc.

Io Moth

Automeris io

This relatively plain-looking moth opens its wings to reveal grand yellow-and-pink hindwings with large black and blue eyespots. Eyespots are there to shock birds and other predators. To locate them, watch in the late morning to early afternoon. Look for young caterpillars, often found feeding together in one long “train.”

Range:  eastern U.S.
Host plants: willows, currants, pears, etc.

Harnessed Moth

Apantesis phalerata

This wildly-colored moth has an extremely striking wing pattern, which is mostly black with cream-colored borders. When opening its wings, the harnessed moth reveals a pronounced yellow and pinkish or reddish hindwing.

Range:  eastern U.S.
Host plants: clover, corn, dandelions, plantains, etc.

Painted Lichen Moth

Hypoprepia fucosa hübner

The painted lichen moth has a noticeable wing pattern, with thick gray and yellow streaks and additional pops of color ranging from pink to red. According to the University of Milwaukee Wisconsin, these insects can do “fecal flicking,” which means they can fire their poop up to 30 body lengths away from themselves. Researchers think this skill helps the moth avoid predatory wasps and parasites which track down prey by the scent of its feces, or “frass.”

Range:  eastern U.S.
Host plants: mosses and lichens on trees

Oleander Hawk-moth

Daphnis nerii

An incredible green-and-black beauty, this moth was unfortunately introduced to Hawaii though most of its range is in Europe, Africa and Asia. You can find it at dusk feeding from flowers, such as honeysuckle and tobacco, or at night near a light source.

Range:  Hawaii
Host plants: periwinkles and oleanders

Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth

Cosmosoma myrodora

The scarlet-bodied wasp moth has an extraordinary red body and transparent wings edged in black to make it appear as though it’s a wasp. “Your chance of surviving greatly increases if you look like something really dangerous,” said Kawahara.

Range: Southeast U.S.
Host plants: hempweed