Texas Lep Information

Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn

Grapevine Epimenis

Psychomorpha epimenis (Drury, 1782)

Owlet Moth Family Noctuidae

Forester Moth Subfamily Agaristinae

Grapevine Epimenis - Psychomorpha epimenis (Drury)

Mary Moore Searight Metro Park
Austin, Travis County, Texas
15 March 2003 (Eric Isley)

Specimens curated in the TAMUIC

Texas County Records for Psychomorpha epimenis

Range: TX - FL - Ont. - MN

Flight Period: February to April, in Texas

Joann Karges has kept records on this species in Tarrant County (Fort Worth) since 1974. Her earliest dates are Feb. 10.
Chris Durden reported one as early as Feb. 5, 2013 in Austin, Travis County, Texas.

Host Food Plant: Grapes - Family Vitaceae

Nectar Plants: Visits early spring blooming woody plants such as:

Elbow Bush (Forestiera spp. - Oleaceae)
Plums and Cherries (Prunus spp. - Rosaceae)
Hawthorne (Crataegus spp. - Rosaceae)
Redbud (Cercis canadensis - Fabaceae)

Type Locality: Virginia

Similar Species: Psychomorpha euryrhoda Hampson, 1910 - Restricted to Florida and very southern Georgia

Weblink: Grapevine Epimenis (Psychomorpha epimenis) - BAMONA

Photos:

Larval, Adult, Adult, Adult - BugGuide.Net
Psychomorpha epimenis - Ed Knudson

Etymology: Psychomorpha epimenis (Drury, 1782)

psycho (G). The soul, mind; a butterfly
morpha (G). Form

epi (G). Upon, over, beside
meni (G). The moon;
menisc, -o (G). A crescent

Biography: Dru Drury (1725 – 1804), one of the foremost entomologists of his time.- Wikipedia

References:

Borror, D.J. 1960. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. National Press Books, Palo Alto. 134 pp.

Covell, C.V. 1984. A field guide to the moths of eastern North America. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. xv + 496 pp.

Drury, D. 1782. Illustrations of Natural History; wherein are exhibited upwards of two hundred and forty figures of exotic insects according to their different genera. London: White. Vol. 3: 76 pp.

Durden, C. 1999. Learn about ... Texas Insects. Texas Parks & Wildlife, Austin. 60 pp.

Holland, W.J. 1903. The Moth Book: A Popular Guide to a Knowledge of the Moths of North America. Doubleday, Page, & Co., N.Y. xxiv + 479 pp.

Knudson, E. & C. Bordelon. 2004. Illustrated Checklist of the Lepidoptera of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX. Vol. 2B : Macro-Moths. Texas Lepidoptera Survey, Houston. xiv + 59 pp. 20 plates.

Wagner, D.L. 2005. Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 496 pp., 1,200+ color photos.