Bug FAQPearly Wood-nymph
Eudryas unio · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Pearly Wood-nymph Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The pearly wood-nymph is a small moth with a 26 to 35 mm wingspan found throughout the eastern United States and parts of Mexico. Its caterpillars feed on grapes and several other plants, so they can be a pest for vineyards and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The pearly wood-nymph is a moth in the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 26 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on plants such as grape vines, evening primrose, Ludwigia, loosestrife, Decodon and hibiscus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing between May and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
A close relative, Eudryas brevipennis, was once considered a subspecies, but the genitalia of both sexes differ.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 39 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan, Texas, Pennsylvania, Louisiana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on grape vines, evening primrose, Ludwigia, loosestrife, Decodon and hibiscus.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudryas_unio
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.