Euonymus Leaf Notcher (Pryeria sinica) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The euonymus leaf notcher is an East Asian moth whose caterpillars chew the leaves of euonymus shrubs; in the US it has been found in Virginia and Maryland. The adults fly in daytime in late fall, and with their clear wings and black-and-orange hairy bodies, some people mistake them for wasps. Damaged shrubs usually grow new leaves and recover.

Appearance

Appearance: Adults are hairy black-and-orange moths with clear, smoky wings and dark veins, about 1.2–1.4 in (31–35 mm) across. The black abdomen ends in an orange tuft. Males have feathery antennae; females have thread-like ones.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: yards and hedges
parks
landscaped euonymus plantings
Range: Native to East Asia (Japan, Korea, China). In the US it is known from Virginia and Maryland.
Preferred conditions: Shows up wherever its host shrubs, especially Japanese euonymus, are planted.
When to see it: In the US
Active Oct–Dec

Behavior

Diet: Caterpillars eat euonymus and bittersweet leaves. Young ones feed in groups and leaves; older ones chew notches in leaf edges, which gives the moth its name. Heavy feeding can strip a shrub bare.
Activity: In Maryland and Virginia, adults emerge around October and can be seen until early December. Unlike most moths, they are active during the day.
Overwintering: Overwinters as eggs, laid in taupe clusters of about 100–200 on twig tips or leaf undersides and covered with hairs from the mother.

Life cycle

Reproduction: One generation a year. From mid-May, caterpillars leave the plant to spin brown cocoons in leaf litter, on stems, or on hard surfaces, and stay there until fall.
Larva: Caterpillars are light greenish-yellow with several black lengthwise stripes. They hatch from mid-March to early April and feed through May.
Caterpillar food plants: Japanese euonymus, 'Manhattan' euonymus (Euonymus kiautschovicus 'Manhattan'), and bittersweet vines.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Status: A non-native pest in the US, first found in Fairfax County, Virginia, and reported in Maryland in 2003.