The Stalk Borer Moth is a small, brown noctuid whose caterpillar tunnels through the stems of hundreds of herbaceous plant species, causing wilting and structural damage to garden plants and crops. The young caterpillar is distinctively striped purple-and-white before becoming uniformly grayish. Adults fly in late summer and fall and are attracted to lights.
Best time to see a Stalk Borer Moth
The best time to see a Stalk Borer Moth is September, when about 74% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 648 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Stalk Borer Moth? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Stalk Borer Moth sightings near you
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