Red-eyed Button Slug Moth
Common NameRed-eyed Button Slug Moth
Scientific NameTortricidia flexuosa
FamilyLimacodidae
Wingspan (mm)18
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, brown
HabitatDeciduous forests, woodlands, forest edges
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from Nova Scotia south to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota
Host Plantsoak, maple, birch, cherry, hickory, beech, ash, elm
Flight PeriodMay to September
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesThe caterpillar is slug-like, flattened, and legless, often bearing stinging hairs. It pupates in a distinctive hard, button-shaped cocoon, typically attached to a twig or leaf.
Identification TipsLook for the characteristic fuzzy, stout body and wings, which are a uniform tawny orange-brown with subtle, darker, scattered spots. Its small size and overall 'furry' appearance are key.
Description
A small, stout-bodied moth characterized by its very fuzzy, tawny orange-brown wings and body, often with indistinct darker speckles on the forewings.
