Bug FAQSouthern Purple Mint Moth
Pyrausta laticlavia · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae
The southern purple mint moth has a wingspan of about 17 mm. It lives from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Texas, Oklahoma and California. Its larvae can be raised on rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Pyrausta laticlavia, known as the southern purple mint moth, belongs to the family Crambidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan is roughly 17 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae have been successfully reared on rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from June through August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The moth flies during the summer months, typically June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the eastern and southern United States, extending west to California.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 30 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, California, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, South Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are southern purple mint moths active?
Adults fly from June to August, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae can be raised on rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this moth?
It occurs from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Texas, Oklahoma and California.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Crambidae)
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
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_laticlavia
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.