Lamiaceae
Guides
Calycomyza hyptidis
Calycomyza hyptidis is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Spencer in 1966. The species name references its original association with Hyptis species. It has been documented as a pest of cultivated aromatic herbs, specifically reported on basil (Ocimum basilicum) in Mexico and spearmint (Mentha spicata).
Capperia
Capperia is a genus of plume moths in the family Pterophoridae, established by Tutt in 1905. Species are small with wingspans ranging from approximately 12.5 to 20.5 mm. The genus is distributed across Europe, extending into parts of Asia including Kazakhstan and Turkey. Members exhibit bivoltine flight periods with adults active in late spring and mid-summer.
Eupteryx
Eupteryx is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Typhlocybinae. Species within this genus are small, plant-feeding insects with documented associations primarily with plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and stinging nettles (Urtica dioica). Some species, notably E. decemnotata, have undergone rapid range expansion in recent decades. The genus exhibits host-specific oviposition behavior and color polymorphism in nymphal stages.
Eupteryx melissae
sage leafhopper, banded sage hopper
Eupteryx melissae is a small leafhopper in the subfamily Typhlocybinae, commonly found on sage plants (Salvia spp.). It is native to Europe and has been introduced to other regions including North America. The species is a phloem-feeding insect that uses piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract plant sap.
Liriomyza eupatorii
Liriomyza eupatorii is a leafminer fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Johann Heinrich Kaltenbach in 1874. The species occurs in Europe and is known for its larvae creating mines in leaves of plants in the Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families. Host plants include hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), various hemp-nettles (Galeopsis species), sunflowers (Helianthus), and European goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), among others.
Melanagromyza undescribed-blephilia-stem-borer
An undescribed species in the genus Melanagromyza, a group of stem-boring flies in the family Agromyzidae. The informal name indicates this species develops as a stem borer in plants of the genus Blephilia, a group of mint-family herbs native to North America. As an undescribed species, it lacks formal scientific description and has not been assigned a species epithet. The genus Melanagromyza contains numerous economically significant agricultural pests, though this particular species appears to be associated with wild host plants rather than cultivated crops.
Pentapleura
Pentapleura is a genus name applied to two unrelated taxonomic groups: a genus of parasitoid wasps in family Braconidae (subfamily Alysiinae) and a genus of flowering plants in family Lamiaceae. The wasp genus includes species such as Pentapleura foveolata, known from the eastern United States. The plant genus contains a single species, Pentapleura subulifera, native to southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq.
Phrydiuchus
Phrydiuchus is a genus of true weevils (Curculionidae) comprising at least two described species: P. tau and P. topiarius. Species in this genus are specialized herbivores associated with Salvia species (Lamiaceae), with documented use as biological control agents against invasive sage weeds. The genus is characterized by small, dark-colored weevils with distinctive dorsal markings.
Phyllobrotica
skeletonizing leaf beetles, flea beetles
Phyllobrotica is a genus of leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, containing at least 18 described species in North America. Members are small, often brightly colored beetles known as skeletonizing leaf beetles and flea beetles. Most North American species are extreme host specialists, feeding almost exclusively on plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae), particularly genera Scutellaria and Stachys. One species, P. physostegiae, has been documented on Physostegia, representing an unusual host transfer to a related mint family genus in dry prairie habitats.
Phyllobrotica costipennis
skeletonizing leaf beetle
Phyllobrotica costipennis is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. The species was described by George Henry Horn in 1893. It is recorded from North America, though specific details about its distribution, host plants, and biology remain poorly documented compared to congeners. Like other Phyllobrotica species, it likely exhibits strong host plant specialization.
Phyllobrotica decorata
Phyllobrotica decorata is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is distributed across North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba) and the United States. Like other members of the genus Phyllobrotica, it is believed to be a host specialist, though specific host plant associations for this species remain poorly documented compared to congeners.
Phyllobrotica sequoiensis
Phyllobrotica sequoiensis is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Blake in 1956. It is found in North America, though specific details about its distribution, habitat preferences, and biology remain poorly documented. The genus Phyllobrotica comprises highly host-specialized beetles, with most species feeding exclusively on plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae), particularly the genera Stachys and Scutellaria.
Phytomyza nepetae
Phytomyza nepetae is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Hendel in 1922. As a member of the genus Phytomyza, it shares the characteristic biology of internal leaf-feeding larvae that create distinctive mines within host plant foliage. The specific epithet 'nepetae' suggests an association with Nepeta (catmint) species, though detailed host records are limited. Distribution records indicate presence in the northeastern United States, including Vermont.
Pyrausta laticlavia
Southern Purple Mint Moth
Pyrausta laticlavia, commonly known as the southern purple mint moth, is a small crambid moth with a wingspan of approximately 17 mm. The species occurs across the southern and western United States and has demonstrated northward range expansion in California during the 1990s. Adults are active during summer months, with flight periods varying by location.
Pyrausta phoenicealis
perilla leaf moth, Phoenician pyrausta moth
Pyrausta phoenicealis is a crambid moth with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution across the Americas, Africa, Australia, and Asia. It is a documented agricultural pest, particularly in South Korea where it damages Perilla (shiso) crops. Larvae feed on plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and related Asteraceae, binding leaves with silk to form protective shelters. The species is frequently confused with Pyrausta panopealis due to morphological similarity, but genetic analysis reveals approximately 4.62% COI divergence between them.