Unfortunately, many of the moths have economic importance (unfortunate and economically important because they adversely affect important crops/trees). My guess is the worst ones don't belong in the US in the first place. Cydia pomonella (codling moth) is probably the most well known example since it is the caterpillar you don't want to find half of in your apple. ;) Book points out that the moth was introduced from Eurasia (so were apples, right?). "Females lay eggs singly on fruits, stems, or leaves of the host. Larvae overwinter under tree bark and pupate in the spring." Cydia latiferreana (filbertworm) is a North American moth. The cat feeds inside nuts. Pest of cultivated filberts and hazelnuts. The moths are "extremely variable" and "constitute a species complex," a phrase I had not seen before reading this book. The book says somebody named Heinrich figured out there are seven forms of this moth. Cydia caryana (hickory shuckworm) was only found in the eastern US but has been able to spread all the way to New Mexico despite efforts to stop it. "Inflicts considerable damage on pecan crops." Grapholita molesta (oriental fruit moth) was introduced from Japan. Primarily affects peach growers. "Early instar larvae burrow into the shoots, and later instars feed in fruits. Three generations develop in the North, six or seven in the South." Rhyacionia buoliana (European pine shoot moth) is not from around here, as its common name implies. Was introduced early last century. One of the biggest moths in the book at 11 mm. "Early instars mine needle bases; the third and fourth instars feed in buds and pass the winter under a shelter of pitch. Bud and shoot feeding resumes in the spring." Their feeding results in "disfigurement of young trees, particularly in plantations" so that is why Christmas tree growers would not like them. Zeiraphera canadensis (spruce bud moth) is one of those rare lepidoptera that overwinters as an egg. "Larvae hatch in spring as buds start to burst" and "begin feeding on developing needles under broken budcaps." What I found interesting is for many years entomologists thought the moth was Z. ratzeburgiana, a moth introduced from Europe. In 1966, a couple guys figured out it was a distinct species found only in Canada and northern US. So there is a taste of economically important moths covered in the book.

It could be the S. latipennis, or any of about 4 white tiger moths, but S. virginica is by far the most widespread. The black dots may be faint, unapparent, or missing in any of the species. These moths have a wide diet, but of 135 hostplant records in the HOSTS database for S. virginica, none are in the mint family that includes lemon balm. Note that the caterpillar for the Virginia tiger moth is the yellow woolly bear and is quite distinctive.

Pink-spotted hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata.

Somewhere in this house I have a book on US Insect Pests and that caterpillar is on the cover. I can't find the book but I do remember not being impressed with the moth it made. I see them every year. By the time they are this big they are almost done growing and soon will climb down and pupate.