A preliminary survey of moth diversity was conducted in the forested regions of Daringbadi, Kandhamal district, Odisha, India, from November 12 to 16, 2024, using light trapping methods. This study recorded a total of 52 moth species belonging to 44 genera and distributed across 12 families. Among these, the family Erebidae was the most dominant, contributing 22 species, followed by Crambidae and Geometridae (6 species each), Noctuidae (5 species), and other families including Drepanidae, Hyblaeidae, Lacturidae, Nolidae, Notodontidae, Pyralidae, Sphingidae, and Tineidae represented by 1–3 species each.

Rare sightings included species such as Creatonotos gangis-interrupta complex and Plodia interpunctella, each represented by a single observed individual. The dominance of Erebidae indicates a high level of ecological adaptability and richness within the Daringbadi ecosystem. This investigation marks the first systematic documentation of moth diversity in this region and emphasizes the area’s role as a potential hotspot for lepidopteran diversity, thereby underlining the need for sustained biodiversity monitoring and taxonomic research.