Grapevine Epimenis Psychomorpha epimenis

Today, more blogging about things seen during vineyard wifery duties. I saw this caterpillar on the bottom of a leaf. You can do that when you are only 6 inches away from any leaf. At first, I thought that this was the caterpillar for an eight spotted forester, and knowing that the eight spotted forester caterpillar feeds in grapevines, after taking a picture, I "got rid" of it. But in looking on the Internet, it was not the eight spotted forester caterpillar. It turns out that this is the Grapevine Epimenis or Psychomorpha epimenis caterpillar.
Pamm Cooper wrote an article for the University of Connecticut Extension on the Grapevine Epimenis which was very detailed. The Grapevine Epimenis life cycle:

• Epimenis moths emerge in the spring after overwintering as pupae
• The female moth lays eggs on or near the new foliage
• The emerging larva lives in a nest-like structure formed by fastening several leaves together with silken threads where it feeds
• The fully grown larva/caterpillar is about 3/4 inch long
• By early to mid-June the caterpillar completes its development
• The adult moth is about an inch long and on each hind wing there is a large, smooth-shaped orange-red or brownish-red patch
• By the beginning of summer the caterpillar has completed its growth and pupated in soft wood or other dense plant material to overwinter in its cocoon

Take home message: These caterpillars are generally no cause for concern, and have little to no adverse effects on the overall health of the grape plant.