Parsnip Webworm
Common NameParsnip Webworm
Scientific NameDepressaria pastinacella
FamilyDepressariidae
SubfamilyDepressariinae
Wingspan (mm)23
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, tan, gray
HabitatMeadows, fields, roadsides, gardens, and other areas where wild parsnip grows
Geographic RangeEurope, introduced and widespread in North America (Canada, northern US)
Host Plantswild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), hogweed, angelica
Flight PeriodLate summer to fall, overwintering adults reappear in spring
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are webworms, feeding within a silken web on the flowers and seeds of parsnip and related plants. Adults emerge in late summer/fall, overwinter, and mate in spring.
Identification TipsLook for its distinctive streaky brown pattern and its association with parsnip plants. It often rests with wings held flat, giving it a flattened appearance.
Description
A small, slender moth with cryptically patterned wings, typically light brown to grayish-brown with darker longitudinal streaks and mottling, giving it a bark-like appearance.
