Psychomorpha epimenis

Grapevine Epimenis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Psychomorpha
Species: P. epimenis
Binomial name
Psychomorpha epimenis
(Drury, 1782)
Synonyms
  • Psychomorpha euryrhoda Hampson, 1910

The Grapevine Epimenis (Psychomorpha epimenis) is a North American moth in the family Noctuidae.

Description

The wings and body are black with a large white fore wing patch and a red hind wing patch. The wingspan ranges from 2.2 to 2.7 cm.[1]

P. e. euryrhoda has a red hind wing patch that stretches almost all the way to the base of the wing.[1]

Subspecies

Habitat

This moth may be encountered in woodlands, woodland edges, and hedgerows.[2]

Flight

The Grapevine Epimenis is a spring moth which may be found from March to early May.[1]

Life cycle

The larva is black with transverse white stripes. The head, part of the thorax, the area near the end of the abdomen, and the prolegs are a reddish-orange color. The larva makes a leaf shelter in new foliage by taking the leaf edges and pulling them upward and then tying them together with silk. The pupa hibernates in wood or dense peat. It has 1 brood per year.[2]

Host plants

Here is a list of host plants used by the Grapevine Epimenis:

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Charles V. Covell, Jr (2005). Moths of Eastern North America. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA. ISBN 1-884549-21-7
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 David L. Wagner (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. ISBN 0-691-12144-3
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