Derrima stellata, the pink star moth, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found from southern Maine to Florida, west to Missouri and Texas.
The wingspan is 21âÂÂ30 mm. Adults are on wing from April to May and from July to August. There are two generations per year. It is listed as a species of special concern in Connecticut.
For many years, according to David L. Wagner, "the Holy Grail for moth life histories in the East Coast was the pink star moth." In 2024, however, Caterpillar Lab intern Logan Dieck discovered a small caterpillar apparently feeding on seeds of a dead pinweed plant in southern NH. By collecting more caterpillars and overwintering their pupae, caterpillar expert Sam Jaffe confirmed that these were larvae of the pink star moth.