Plusiinae
Guides
Abrostola
spectacle moths
Abrostola is a genus of noctuid moths in the tribe Abrostolini, characterized by distinctive thoracic markings resembling spectacles or goggles. The genus includes at least two well-studied European species: A. tripartita (the spectacle) and A. triplasia (the dark spectacle). Both species are associated with nettle as a primary larval host plant. The genus has been the subject of recent genomic research, with chromosomally complete genome assemblies available for both A. tripartita and A. triplasia.
Abrostola urentis
Spectacled Nettle Moth, Variegated Brindle
Abrostola urentis is a noctuid moth with a wingspan of 30–32 mm. It is known by two common names: the spectacled nettle moth and the variegated brindle. The species has a broad distribution across North America, with adults active in summer and larvae specialized on stinging nettle.
Abrostolini
Abrostolini is a small tribe of moths in the subfamily Plusiinae, family Noctuidae. The tribe was established by Eichlin and Cunningham in 1978 and contains two genera: Abrostola and Mouralia. Members of this tribe are part of the diverse noctuid moth fauna, with species distributed across various regions.
Anagrapha
Anagrapha is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, established by McDunnough in 1944. The genus contains at least one confirmed species, Anagrapha falcifera (celery looper), which serves as the original host for AfMNPV (Anagrapha falcifera multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus), a broad host-spectrum baculovirus with significant importance in biological control research. The virus isolated from this species has been shown to infect 43 species across 13 lepidopteran families and is genetically identical to the Rachiplusia ou virus isolate.
Anagrapha falcifera
Celery Looper, Celery Looper Moth
Anagrapha falcifera, the celery looper, is a noctuid moth native to North America. The species was first described by William Kirby in 1837. Adults have a wingspan of 35–40 mm. Larvae are generalist feeders on low-growing plants including agricultural crops. The species gained scientific significance in 1985 when specimens collected in Missouri were found infected with a naturally occurring baculovirus, which became the first patented baculovirus and contributed to the development of biological insect control products.
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
Looper moths, Plusiine moths
Autographa is a genus of noctuid moths in the subfamily Plusiinae, commonly known as looper moths. The genus includes species with distinctive wing markings, including the Silver Y (A. gamma), a notable long-distance migrant in Europe. Autographa species have semilooper caterpillars that feed on diverse herbaceous plants, with some species considered agricultural pests.
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 bimaculata
Two-spotted Looper Moth, Twin Gold Spot, Double-spotted Spangle
A medium-sized noctuid moth native to North America, recognized by its distinctive looping flight pattern and characteristic wing markings. Adults are active during summer months with a single annual generation. The species was first described by James Francis Stephens in 1830 and has been documented across a broad transcontinental range.
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.
Autographa corusca
Caramel Looper
Autographa corusca is a noctuid moth endemic to the Pacific Northwest coastal forests. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 33 mm and are active in midsummer. Larvae feed on alder species (Alnus).
Autographa flagellum
Silver Whip Moth, Silver Whip
Autographa flagellum, commonly known as the Silver Whip, is a noctuid moth species first described by Francis Walker in 1858. It occurs across southern Canada and the northern United States, with a single annual generation. Adults are active during summer months, and larvae feed on specific host plants in the Asteraceae family.
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 mappa
Wavy Chestnut Y Moth, Wavy Chestnut Y
Autographa mappa, commonly known as the Wavy Chestnut Y Moth, is a North American noctuid moth first described by Grote and Robinson in 1868. Adults have a wingspan of 35–40 mm and are active from June to August, with one generation per year. The species inhabits wooded regions across Canada and the northern United States.
Autographa metallica
Shaded Gold Spot
Autographa metallica, commonly known as the shaded gold spot, is a moth in the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1875. It occurs in western North America with a range extending from southern Alaska and coastal British Columbia south to central California, and eastward through the Rocky Mountains to central Colorado. Adults are active during mid-summer, with a wingspan of 38–40 mm.
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.
Autographa pseudogamma
Delicate Silver Y
A medium-sized North American noctuid moth in the Plusiinae subfamily, characterized by its distinctive wing pattern. Adults are active in mid-summer with a single generation per year. The species occupies a broad geographic range across northern and western North America.
Autographa rubidus
Rusty Looper
Autographa rubidus, commonly known as the Rusty Looper, is a noctuid moth species native to North America. The species ranges from Newfoundland west across southern Canada to southeastern British Columbia, extending south to Maine and Minnesota. As a member of the Plusiinae subfamily, it shares the characteristic looper caterpillar morphology with related species. The specific epithet "rubidus" refers to a reddish or rusty coloration, though detailed adult morphology remains poorly documented in available sources.
Autographa speciosa
Autographa speciosa is a noctuid moth in the subfamily Plusiinae, known from a restricted range in western North America. The species was described by Ottolengui in 1902. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 38 mm and are active in midsummer. The limited geographic distribution and specific habitat associations make this a regionally significant species for Pacific Northwest and California lepidopteran fauna.
Autographa v-alba
White Y Mark, White Y Mark Moth
Autographa v-alba is a North American noctuid moth first described by Rodrigues Ottolengui in 1902. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, commonly known as loopers or semiloopers. The species is restricted to montane and foothill regions of western North America, with adults active in mid-summer. It is distinguished by a characteristic white Y-shaped mark on the forewing, referenced in both its scientific and common names.
Autoplusia
Autoplusia is a genus of owlet moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. The genus was established by James Halliday McDunnough in 1944. It contains seven described species distributed across the Americas. Members of this genus belong to the tribe Plusiini, which includes many species commonly known as looper moths due to their characteristic larval locomotion.
Autoplusia egena
Bean Looper, Bean Leafskeletonizer
Autoplusia egena, commonly known as the Bean Looper or Bean Leafskeletonizer, is a noctuid moth species described by Guenée in 1852. It is widely distributed across the Americas, ranging from California and the southeastern United States through the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The subspecies Autoplusia egena galapagensis is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. The larvae are polyphagous and feed on numerous plant families, with documented records from at least nine families including Fabaceae (soybean and common bean).
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.
Chrysanympha formosa
Formosa looper, Formosa Looper Moth
Chrysanympha formosa, commonly known as the Formosa looper, is a noctuid moth found in eastern North America. First described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1865, this species ranges from Newfoundland west to Manitoba and south to the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Adults are active during summer months, with flight periods varying by latitude. The larvae feed on specific host plants in the Ericaceae family.
Chrysodeixis
Chrysodeixis is a genus of owlet moths (family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae) described by Jacob Hübner in 1821. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly Chrysodeixis includens (soybean looper) and C. chalcites (tomato looper), which cause defoliation damage to legume and solanaceous crops. Larvae are characterized by having three pairs of prolegs and a distinctive looping locomotion.
Copidosoma floridanum
Copidosoma floridanum is a polyembryonic parasitoid wasp in the family Encyrtidae, notable for producing the largest recorded brood of any parasitoidal insect—up to 3,055 individuals from a single egg. Females oviposit into the eggs of plusiine moths, and the resulting embryos undergo clonal division to form genetically identical siblings. The brood develops into two distinct castes: reproductive larvae that emerge as adult wasps, and sterile soldier larvae that defend their siblings from competitors.
Diachrysia
burnished brass moths
Diachrysia is a genus of noctuid moths comprising approximately eleven species, distributed across the Holarctic region. The genus is best known for the burnished brass (D. chrysitis), which displays striking structural coloration on its forewings. Species in this genus are characterized by metallic golden or brassy wing patches produced by nanoscale multilayer structures rather than chemical pigments. The taxonomic relationship between D. chrysitis and the closely related D. stenochrysis remains unresolved in some populations.
Diachrysia balluca
green-patched looper, hologram moth
Diachrysia balluca is a large noctuid moth occurring in northeastern North America, recognized by its metallic green forewing patches. Adults are active from May through September, with peak abundance in July. The species inhabits mature poplar and mixedwood forests, where larvae feed on woody plants including quaking aspen and Canadian woodnettle. It produces one brood annually.
Enigmogramma
Enigmogramma is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, tribe Argyrogrammatini. The genus was established by Lafontaine and Poole in 1991 and contains six described species distributed across the Americas. Members of this genus are part of the diverse owlet moth fauna, though specific ecological and biological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Enigmogramma antillea
Enigmogramma antillea is a noctuid moth described by Becker in 2001. It is known from Cuba and Puerto Rico, with a single documented specimen collected in Collier County, Florida in 2012 representing a vagrant or potential range extension. The species is characterized by relatively small forewings measuring 14–16 mm, with distinctive coloration useful for identification.
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.
Eosphoropteryx
Eosphoropteryx is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, established by Dyar in 1902. The genus contains a single described species, Eosphoropteryx thyatyroides. It belongs to the tribe Plusiini, a group of owlet moths commonly known as loopers or plusiines. Records indicate occurrence in the northeastern United States.
Euchalcia
Euchalcia is a genus of owlet moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. Species occur across Europe and Central Asia, with notable diversity in high-mountainous regions of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. DNA studies using mitochondrial COI gene sequences indicate greater genetic divergence among Central Asiatic high-mountain populations compared to European species. The genus was established by Hübner in 1821.
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.
Exyra semicrocea
Pitcher Plant Mining Moth
Exyra semicrocea, commonly known as the Pitcher Plant Mining Moth, is a small noctuid moth specialized on pitcher plants in the genus Sarracenia. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States coastal plain, where it completes its entire life cycle within pitcher plant pitchers. Its larvae are miners that feed internally on pitcher plant tissue, making this one of the few moth species adapted to this unusual habitat.
Megalographa biloba
Bilobed Looper Moth, Stephens' Gem
A noctuid moth in the subfamily Plusiinae with a wingspan of 38–44 mm. It occurs from the southern United States through Central and South America to Argentina, and migrates seasonally into northern United States and southern Canada where it produces one or two summer generations but rarely survives winter. The species is sometimes considered a pest on cultivated lettuce.
Mouralia
Mouralia is a monotypic genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, containing the single species Mouralia tinctoides. The genus was established by Walker in 1858. Larvae are specialized feeders on plants in the family Commelinaceae, including Tradescantia and Commelina species. The species has a broad New World distribution spanning subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas.
Mouralia tinctoides
Mouralia tinctoides is a small moth and the sole species in its genus, Mouralia. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae within the Noctuidae family. The species exhibits a broad distribution across the Americas, ranging from the southern United States through the Caribbean and Central America to South America. Despite its wide geographic range, published biological and ecological information remains limited.
Notioplusia illustrata
notioplusia moth
Notioplusia illustrata, commonly known as the notioplusia moth, is a noctuid moth first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. Native to the Caribbean, Florida, and the Americas, it has been introduced to Australia and South Africa, where its larvae feed on Lantana camara leaves. The species has been utilized as a biological control agent for this invasive plant.
Plusia
Plusia is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. Species in this genus are commonly known as loopers or plusias. The genus includes several agricultural pest species whose larvae feed on various crop plants. Adults are typically nocturnal and exhibit specific mating behaviors including female pheromone release and wing fanning. Some species display migratory flight behavior in young adults.
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 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.
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.
Plusiinae
Plusiine Looper Moths, Looper Moths
Plusiinae is a subfamily of moths within Noctuidae, commonly known as plusiine looper moths. The group is characterized by larvae with three pairs of prolegs that move with a distinctive looping gait. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly of soybean and other legumes. The subfamily is relatively small compared to other noctuid groups, and its taxonomic status may be elevated to family rank pending resolution of Noctuidae paraphyly.
Plusiini
Plusiini is the largest tribe within the Plusiinae subfamily of Noctuidae moths. The tribe was established by Boisduval in 1828 and contains numerous genera, with at least one additional undescribed genus known to exist. Members of this tribe are commonly known as looper moths or owlet moths, though these common names are shared with related groups. The tribe has been extensively documented, with over 137,000 observations recorded on iNaturalist.