Our proximity, the dates and the time of year are compelling that the two species are the same. However, the abdomen on my post seems more full and darker. Your post is more like the moth that I called a Hellinsia longifrons (6233) that I photographed on 1/24/2012, but did not submit. Perhaps they are all the same species.

Thanks for the help. We do have morning-glories here. I identified a Hellinsia longifrons here previously, but this one seems different. None of the Texas plume moths in MPG have been recorded in January. E. monodactyla has been recorded in Texas in March and June. I also need someone more familiar with Texas fauna.

I also thought I ID'd a H. longfrons in Camp Wood. I checked the "data" and it did not get an offical ID (it was picture #870765). It was much larger than this one and had a distinctively "pointed" head. I agree that the bodies of our two January moths do not look alike, but I was going by the fact that nothing else flies in January in this area and that I have the appropriate plants on our place. About the same time I posted two other plumes. They see to be very tricky.

Keep in mind that the distribution and phenology data on MPG and Bugguide are nowhere near comprehensive, especially with species that are difficult to identify from pictures. Just looking at my home state of Pennsylvania, there are dozens of species not even represented in the state that are found here, many of which are common. And species with long flight periods are often only represented in a couple of the months when they're found. I would really hesitate before naming something based on it being the only similar species reported online in the same state and month, especially in a group like plume moths where the vast majority of sightings aren't even identified to species.

Thnak you very much for the explanation and education.