Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
Common NameGrapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
Scientific NameHarrisina americana
FamilyZygaenidae
SubfamilyProcridinae
Wingspan (mm)30
Wing Patternsolid
Primary Colorsblack, red-orange
HabitatVineyards, gardens, woodlands, and areas where host plants like grapevines and Virginia creeper are present.
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from southern Canada south to Florida and west to Texas.
Host Plantsgrape, Virginia creeper
Flight PeriodMay to October (multiple broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in clusters on the underside of host plant leaves. Larvae are distinctive, yellow with black bands and tufts of hair, feeding gregariously and skeletonizing leaves. Pupation occurs in a silken cocoon.
Identification TipsKey visual features include the entirely black body and wings combined with a bright red-orange collar. The gregarious, yellow-and-black banded larvae skeletonizing grape or Virginia creeper leaves are also a strong indicator of its presence.
Description
This is a small, slender moth characterized by its velvety black body and wings, contrasted by a prominent reddish-orange collar behind its head.
