Cabbage Moth vs Painted Lichen Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cabbage Moth Painted Lichen Moth
Scientific Name Mamestra brassicae Hypoprepia fucosa
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Arctiidae
Size Wingspan 34-50mm 25-33 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cabbage Moth

A mottled grey-brown moth with kidney-shaped and circular stigmata on the forewings. Its caterpillar is a serious pest of brassica crops worldwide.

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Did You Know?

A single caterpillar can bore deep into a cabbage head contaminating it with frass and making it unmarketable.

Painted Lichen Moth

A small moth with distinctive grey forewings bearing bright red-orange stripes running from base to tip. It is one of the lichen moths, whose larvae feed on lichens and algae.

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Did You Know?

Its bold warning coloration advertises chemical defenses derived from the lichen compounds its larvae consume.