Looper-moth
Guides
Allagrapha
Allagrapha is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. The genus was established by Franclemont in 1964 and contains at least one recognized species, Allagrapha aerea. These moths belong to the tribe Plusiini, a group commonly known as looper moths due to their characteristic looping locomotion as caterpillars. The genus is part of the diverse owlet moth family, which includes many agriculturally significant species.
Argyrogramma
Argyrogramma is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, tribe Argyrogrammatini. The genus includes at least three described species: A. signata, A. subaurea, and A. verruca. One species, A. albostriata, has been studied as a specialized predator of the invasive plant Solidago canadensis in China, where it exhibits distributional tracking of its host plant under climate change scenarios. The genus is placed within the looper moth group, characterized by larvae with reduced prolegs that move in a looping fashion.
Argyrogramma verruca
Golden Looper Moth, golden looper
Argyrogramma verruca is a noctuid moth commonly known as the golden looper moth. The species exhibits a broad New World distribution spanning North, Central, and South America, with additional records from Hawaii. Adults are relatively small with a wingspan of approximately 28 mm. The common name references the larval 'looper' form characteristic of many Plusiinae.
Autographa ampla
Large Looper Moth, Raspberry Looper, Brown-patched Looper, Broken-banded Y
Autographa ampla, known as the large looper moth or broken-banded Y, is a Noctuidae moth species first described by Francis Walker in 1858. It has a wingspan of 38–42 mm and is found across much of North America, from Newfoundland to Alaska and south to California, Arizona, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Adults are active from June to August with one generation per year.
Autographa labrosa
Autographa labrosa is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by Grote in 1875. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, a group characterized by larvae that move with a looping motion due to reduced prolegs. The species is known from North America and has been assigned the Hodges number 8920. Like other members of the genus Autographa, it is likely nocturnal as an adult, though specific behavioral details remain poorly documented.
Autographa pasiphaeia
Autographa pasiphaeia is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. It is found in North America. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 8915. Like other members of the genus Autographa, it is characterized by looping larval locomotion due to reduced proleg structure.
Autographa precationis
Common Looper Moth
Autographa precationis, the Common Looper Moth, is a Noctuid moth native to eastern and central North America. Adults are medium-sized with a wingspan of 30–38 mm and are active from April through October, producing three or more generations annually. The species has expanded its host range to include cultivated soybeans, though with lower feeding efficiency than the closely related soybean looper. Larvae are bright green with distinctive black false eyespots on the head and possess 21–23 crochets per proleg.
Autoplusia egenoides
Lesser Bean Looper
Autoplusia egenoides is a noctuid moth commonly known as the Lesser Bean Looper. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, a group characterized by looping locomotion in their caterpillars. The species is found throughout North America and is associated with leguminous plants. It was described by Franclemont and Todd in 1917.
Autoplusia olivacea
Olive Bean Looper
Autoplusia olivacea is a looper moth in the family Noctuidae, described by Skinner in 1917. It is known from North America and is assigned Hodges number 8892. The common name "Olive Bean Looper" suggests an association with leguminous host plants, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Enigmogramma basigera
Pink-washed Looper, Pink-washed Looper Moth
Enigmogramma basigera, commonly known as the pink-washed looper, is a noctuid moth first described by Francis Walker in 1865. It is a relatively small moth with a wingspan of 28–33 mm. The species is notable for its limited larval records—only two specimens have been documented, both reared on Hydrocotyle umbellata. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, a group often referred to as loopers due to their characteristic looping locomotion as caterpillars.
Euchalcia albavitta
Euchalcia albavitta is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae. It was first described by Ottolengui in 1902 under the basionym Autographa albavitta. The species is found in North America and has been assigned the Hodges number 8903. It is classified within the subfamily Plusiinae, a group commonly known as loopers due to their characteristic looping larval locomotion.
Lambdina flavilinearia
Lambdina flavilinearia is a North American geometrid moth described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1913. The species belongs to a genus commonly known as loopers or inchworms, referring to the characteristic movement of their caterpillars. It is recorded in the MONA/Hodges numbering system as 6890.
Nepytia
false hemlock loopers, false pine loopers
Nepytia is a genus of geometrid moths (loopers) in the family Geometridae, established by George Duryea Hulst in 1896. The genus includes at least 13 described species distributed in North America. Several species, notably N. janetae and N. freemani, have been documented as forest defoliators capable of outbreak population dynamics that cause significant damage to coniferous trees. The genus exhibits considerable variation in life history traits, with some species being summer feeders and others, uniquely among studied Nepytia, feeding during autumn and winter at high elevations.
Nepytia janetae
Janeta's looper moth
Nepytia janetae is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae native to southwestern United States mountain ranges. Prior to 1996, it was an inconspicuous species with little ecological impact. Since 1996, four major outbreaks have caused extensive defoliation of conifer forests across Arizona and New Mexico, killing tens of thousands of acres of trees. The species exhibits an unusual winter-feeding larval stage, active when minimum temperatures approach or drop below 0°F. Outbreak termination occurs primarily through parasitism, viral infection, larval starvation, and occasionally heavy rain during egg deposition.
Nepytia regulata
Nepytia regulata is a geometrid moth species in the family Geometridae, described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1916. It is part of the Nepytia genus, which includes several conifer-feeding looper moths found in North America. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature and has minimal observational records.
Oxydia
Oxydia is a genus of geometrid moths in the family Geometridae, first described by Achille Guenée in 1857. Species in this genus are distributed across the Americas, with several species recognized as forest pests of economic importance. The genus includes defoliator species that attack conifers, eucalyptus, and other woody plants. Larvae are commonly known as loopers or measuring worms due to their characteristic looping gait.
Plusia contexta
Connected Looper Moth, connected looper
Plusia contexta, the connected looper moth, is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae. The species is found in eastern and central North America, where adults are active during warmer months. The common name refers to the looping locomotion of the larva, which possesses fewer prolegs than typical caterpillars. The species inhabits meadows and agricultural fields.
Plusia magnimacula
Large-spotted Looper Moth
Plusia magnimacula is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae. It was described by D. Handfield and L. Handfield in 2006. The species is known from North America, with records from Vermont and other regions of the United States. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, which contains many economically significant agricultural pests. The MONA or Hodges number for this species is 8951.1.
Plusia nichollae
West Coast Plusia
Plusia nichollae is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. It is native to North America, with a distribution concentrated on the western coast of the continent as suggested by its common name. The species was described by Hampson in 1913, originally placed in the genus Phytometra. Like other members of the genus Plusia, it is characterized by looping locomotion in its larval stage due to reduced proleg number. The MONA or Hodges number for this species is 8951.
Plusia putnami
Putnam's Looper Moth, Lempke's Gold Spot
Plusia putnami is a noctuid moth with a trans-Holarctic distribution, occurring across northern Eurasia from Japan to western Europe and throughout much of North America. Adults are active from July to August in western Europe and May to October in northern North America. The species is notable for requiring genitalic dissection to reliably distinguish it from the similar Plusia festucae, as wing pattern differences between the two are not constant. The wingspan ranges from 32–42 mm.
Plusia venusta
White-streaked Looper Moth, White-streaked Looper
Plusia venusta, known as the white-streaked looper, is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America. The species has a MONA (Hodges) number of 8953. As a member of the subfamily Plusiinae, the caterpillars exhibit the characteristic looping locomotion due to reduced prolegs.
Pseudeva palligera
Western Unspotted Looper
Pseudeva palligera is a noctuid moth of western North America, occurring from British Columbia and Alberta south through California. It is a member of the looper moth group within subfamily Plusiinae. The species is characterized by relatively small size and unspotted wing patterning that distinguishes it from related taxa. Adults are attracted to light and have been documented in diverse habitats including montane areas and riparian zones.
Rachiplusia ou
Gray Looper Moth
Rachiplusia ou, commonly known as the gray looper moth, is a species of noctuid moth in the subfamily Plusiinae. It is widely distributed throughout North and Central America, from the southern and eastern United States through Mexico to Venezuela, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Adults are active from May to October in temperate regions, with year-round activity in southern states. Unlike its South American congener Rachiplusia nu, which is a major agricultural pest of soybean and sunflower, R. ou has not gained significant status as a crop pest.
Syngrapha altera
Altera Looper
Syngrapha altera, commonly known as the Altera Looper, is a noctuid moth species described by Ottolengui in 1902. It occurs in northeastern North America, ranging from Newfoundland west to Manitoba and south to northern Michigan. The species has two recognized subspecies: the nominate form and S. a. variana, which occurs from Maine to Newfoundland. Adults have a wingspan of 30–34 mm.
Syngrapha borea
Boreal Looper Moth
Syngrapha borea is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by Aurivillius in 1890. The species is found in North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in published literature. As a member of the Plusiinae subfamily, it shares the characteristic looping locomotion of its caterpillars with related species.
Syngrapha cryptica
Cryptic Looper
Syngrapha cryptica is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae, described by Eichlin & Cunningham in 1978. It is known from North America. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 8941. As a member of the Plusiinae subfamily, it likely exhibits the characteristic looping locomotion of its common name, though specific behavioral details remain undocumented in available sources.
Syngrapha epigaea
Epigaea Looper Moth, Pirate Looper Moth, Narrow Silver Y
Syngrapha epigaea is a noctuid moth species first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1874. It occurs across boreal and temperate regions of North America, with adults active during mid-summer. The species is univoltine, producing one generation per year. Larvae feed on specific ericaceous host plants, with documented associations to Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) and Kalmia angustifolia (sheep laurel).
Syngrapha parilis
Dwarf Willow Looper
Syngrapha parilis is a looper moth in the family Noctuidae, commonly known as the Dwarf Willow Looper. The species occurs in both North America and Europe, with confirmed records from Norway and Sweden. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, a group characterized by reduced foreleg structure and looping larval locomotion. The species was first described by Hübner in 1809 under the basionym Noctua parilis.
Syngrapha selecta
Chosen Looper Moth
Syngrapha selecta, the chosen looper moth, is a North American noctuid moth described by Francis Walker in 1858. It has a wingspan of approximately 38 mm and produces one generation annually. The species occupies a broad northern range across boreal and subarctic regions.
Syngrapha viridisigma
spruce false looper, green-marked looper
Syngrapha viridisigma is a species of looper moth in the family Noctuidae, commonly known as the spruce false looper or green-marked looper. It was described by Grote in 1874 under the basionym Plusia viridisigma. The species is native to North America and belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, which includes many economically important agricultural pests.