Looper-caterpillar
Guides
Autographa californica
Alfalfa Looper
Autographa californica, the alfalfa looper, is a moth species in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. It is a widespread agricultural pest in western North America, recognized by its looping larval locomotion and broad polyphagy. The species was first described by Adolph Speyer in 1875. Adults are medium-sized nocturnal moths with wingspans of 36–42 mm, flying from July to October. Larvae are notable for having prolegs on abdominal segments 5 and 6 but lacking them on segments 3 and 4, producing the characteristic looping gait.
Plusiina
Plusiina is a subtribe within the subfamily Plusiinae of the moth family Noctuidae. Members are commonly known as loopers or semiloopers due to their distinctive larval locomotion. The subtribe includes economically significant agricultural pests such as Rachiplusia nu and Chrysodeixis includens, which cause defoliation damage to soybean and other crops. Larvae are characterized by having three pairs of prolegs and a looping gait, distinguishing them from true geometrid loopers which possess only two pairs.
Tathorhynchus exsiccata
Levant blackneck, Alfalfa Looper Moth
Tathorhynchus exsiccata is a moth species in the family Erebidae, known as the Levant blackneck. The nominate form occurs across the Canary Islands, North Africa, Tropical Asia, and Tropical Africa. It has been introduced to Dominica and Argentina. A distinct subspecies, T. e. fallax, occupies the northern half of Australia, Norfolk Island, and New Zealand.
Trichoplusia
Looper moths
Trichoplusia is a genus of noctuid moths in the subfamily Plusiinae, containing approximately 20 described species. The most economically significant species is Trichoplusia ni, the cabbage looper, a major agricultural pest. Larvae of this genus are characterized by their distinctive looping locomotion, resulting from reduced proleg numbers. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with species found across multiple continents.