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California Moth Identification

California has several butterfly and moth societies that help identify unfamiliar species, and several agencies that provide online databases for those interested in identifying a moth that is found in California. Hundreds of California moth species are listed on the University of California, Berkeley, database. The United States Department of Agriculture also has resources for identification of moths, especially to protect the state's agricultural industry.

  1. Agricultural Pests

    • California is a state rich in agricultural land and rich in agricultural pests. Although not all pests that come to a region become established, California has a few that it constantly battles. The brown apple moth is a pest that has become established in California. It is native to Australia and has already done damage to California's commercial nurseries. The apple moth is a light brown, yellowish moth with spots of darker brown. It reportedly feeds on 250 plant species. Other moths in California that have a negative impact on the agriculture industry include the European grapevine moth, which hollows out fruit on the vine, and the raisin moth, which attacks dried fruit.

    House Pests

    • The webbing cloth moth and the casemaking cloth moth are two California moths that can infest a home and destroy fabric, including carpets, rugs, furs, clothing and furniture. They are weak fliers and are not always spotted before significant damage has been done. The webbing cloth moth has a wingspan of about 1/2 inch and is 1/4 inch in length. It is gold colored with red hairs on its head. This is the more common one in California. The casemaking moth is similar in size but more brownish in color, and its hairs are lighter. Neither moth is attracted to light.

    Exotic Moths

    • More and more species are crossing borders and ending in regions where they have never been before. A new moth, Glyphodes onychinalis, was introduced to California and discovered in Los Angeles County in 2007. The mystery moth, which has a brown and white contrasting pattern, was finally identified by Dr. M. Alma Solis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The moth is native to Australasia, and its larvae feed on oleander, a popular ornamental plant in California. There was an outbreak of these same moths in New Port Beach, California, in 2000. It's suspected they failed to become established since they were not found again, and that the newer find is a different introduction.

    Endangered Moths

    • The Kern Primrose Sphinx was once thought to be extinct and is listed as a federal threatened species. In 1974, a population of this moth was found in Kern County, California, and preservation efforts began. This day-flying moth has 3 inches wingspan, and is grey with black and white markings on the forewings. It lays its eggs on a subspecies of the evening primrose. The adult sphinx feed on filaree, California goldfields, baby blue-eyes and bicolor lupine. The distribution of the moth is limited to a private ranch in Walker Basin. The moth is found in cultivated barley fields and disturbed areas where the adult and larvae food is found.

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