Bug FAQPhoenician Pyrausta Moth and Allies
Pyrausta phoenicealis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
Source: Wikipedia
The perilla leaf moth was described by Jacob Hübner in 1818. Its larvae feed on perilla, fruit mint, knobweed and other Lamiaceae such as rosemary, damaging those garden plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Pyrausta phoenicealis, known as the perilla leaf moth, belongs to the Crambidae family and was first described in 1818.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
The moth is considered a pest of perilla, fruit mint and knobweed. Its larvae can damage other Lamiaceae herbs like rosemary and Coleus.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species is found worldwide, spanning the Americas, Africa, Australia and Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat perilla (shiso), fruit mint and knobweed. They also feed on other mint family plants such as rosemary, Hyptis species and Coleus.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its global distribution includes the Americas, Africa, Australia and Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 10 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, California, South Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What garden plants does the perilla leaf moth damage?
Its caterpillars feed on perilla, fruit mint, knobweed and other mint-family herbs such as rosemary and Coleus, causing leaf loss.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis
Elegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegans
Hawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrausta_phoenicealis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.