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Rosy Maple Moth

Dryocampa rubicunda

Butterfly or moth · family Saturniidae · order Lepidoptera

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
11 states[3]

The Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) is a moth in the family Saturniidae[4]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Rosy Maple Moth a global rank of G5, which it labels Secure[2]. Its national rank for the United States is N5, also Secure[5]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe notes that the short-term population trend looks relatively stable[6].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[5] N5 (Secure)

Where Rosy Maple Moth lives

NatureServe lists the Rosy Maple Moth as native in 11 US states and territories[3]. These are Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and Wisconsin[3]. The state ranks are listed in the table on this page[7].Online observation records are reported most often from North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, Virginia and Maryland, but this follows where people look and report, not how many moths live there[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: native, state rank SNRWIVermont: native, state rank SNRVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank SNRILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: native, state rank SNRKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: native, state rank SNRVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: native, state rank SNRARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SNRSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (11 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArkansasSNRNot Ranked
IllinoisSNRNot Ranked
IndianaS5Secure
KentuckySNRNot Ranked
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
South CarolinaSNRNot Ranked
VermontSNRNot Ranked
VirginiaSNRNot Ranked
WisconsinSNRNot Ranked

Habitat

NatureServe records two habitat types for this moth, forest or woodland and forested wetland[9]. Its notes say the moth lives in woods that include maples or turkey oak, including bottomland forests[10].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[9]

Diet

The caterpillars feed mostly on maple trees, such as red maple, sugar maple and silver maple[11]. They also use box elder and turkey oak[11]. Adult moths do not feed[11][12].

Trait Value
Food habits[12] Nonfeeding

When to look for it

Online observation records of the Rosy Maple Moth in the United States peak in May, June and July[13]. Records are very few in the winter months[13]. These records show when people look and report, not how many moths there are[13].

January: 10 recordsJanFebruary: 68 recordsFebMarch: 315 recordsMarApril: 1,045 recordsAprMay: 3,613 recordsMayJune: 6,471 recordsJunJuly: 6,390 recordsJulAugust: 2,776 recordsAugSeptember: 551 recordsSepOctober: 76 recordsOctNovember: 6 recordsNovDecember: 11 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[13].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January10
February68
March315
April1,045
May3,613
June6,471
July6,390
August2,776
September551
October76
November6
December11

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, Virginia, Maryland[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Rosy Maple Moth endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which it labels Secure[2].
Where does the Rosy Maple Moth live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 11 US states and territories, including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and Wisconsin[3]. It lives in forest, woodland and forested wetland[9].
What does the Rosy Maple Moth eat?
The caterpillars feed mainly on maple trees[11]. Adult moths do not feed[12].
When can you see a Rosy Maple Moth?
Observation records peak in May, June and July[13].

Facts and sources

  1. Rosy Maple Moth is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Rosy Maple Moth: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Rosy Maple Moth as native in 11 US states and territories: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) is a butterfly or moth in the family Saturniidae, order Lepidoptera. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe notes on trend for Rosy Maple Moth. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Rosy Maple Moth (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Rosy Maple Moth: North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, Virginia, Maryland. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  9. Habitat types NatureServe records for Rosy Maple Moth: Forest/woodland, Forested wetland. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe notes on habitat for Rosy Maple Moth. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on food for Rosy Maple Moth. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Nonfeeding. NatureServe Explorer
  13. GBIF observation records of Rosy Maple Moth in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.