Plusiinae
Guides
Polychrysia esmeralda
delphinium leaftier
Polychrysia esmeralda, commonly known as the delphinium leaftier, is a noctuid moth described by Charles Oberthür in 1880. The species name derives from Greek roots meaning "many" and "gold," referring to the adult's shining golden wing coloration. It occurs across northern North America and eastern Siberia, with larvae specializing on toxic Ranunculaceae host plants including monkshood and delphinium. The species is notable for its distinctive larval behavior of tying leaves together with silk and spinning a gold-colored cocoon within.
Pseudeva
Pseudeva is a genus of owlet moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, established by Hampson in 1913. The genus contains two described species: Pseudeva palligera (Grote, 1881) and Pseudeva purpurigera (Walker, 1858). These moths are found in North America. Pseudeva purpurigera, commonly known as the Straight-lined Looper moth, has been documented at light stations in Colorado.
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
sunflower looper (R. nu)
Rachiplusia is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, containing at least four species distributed across the Americas. The most economically significant species is Rachiplusia nu, known as the sunflower looper or "oruga medidora del girasol," which has emerged as a major pest of soybean and sunflower in South America. Larvae of this genus are characterized by the looping locomotion typical of Plusiinae, resulting from having only three pairs of prolegs. The genus was revised taxonomically by Barbut in 2008, clarifying species boundaries and distributions.
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 abstrusa
Abstruse False Looper Moth, abstruse false looper
Syngrapha abstrusa is a noctuid moth described in 1978 from North American specimens. Adults are medium-sized with wingspans of 30–32 mm. Larvae are specialized feeders on conifer foliage, particularly spruce and pine species. The species exhibits a transcontinental northern distribution pattern.
Syngrapha alias
hooked silver Y, Hooked Silver Y Moth
Syngrapha alias is a noctuid moth native to North America, first described by Rodrigues Ottolengui in 1902. The species exhibits a transcontinental distribution spanning boreal and montane regions from Newfoundland to Alaska, with southern extensions to California and North Carolina. Adults are active during summer months, with larvae specializing on white spruce and black spruce.
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 alticola
Alticola Looper Moth, Alpine Beauty
Syngrapha alticola is a small noctuid moth found in high-elevation and Arctic environments across North America. The species occurs above treeline from Newfoundland to Alaska, with disjunct populations extending southward in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada to central California and Colorado. Adults are active during mid-summer, with two generations per year in at least part of the range. The species is one of relatively few Lepidoptera specialized for life in alpine tundra habitats.
Syngrapha angulidens
Syngrapha angulidens is a noctuid moth described by Smith in 1891. It is distributed across montane regions of western North America from Alaska to New Mexico. The species has a single annual generation with adults active in mid-summer.
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 celsa
plain silver Y, western conifer looper
Syngrapha celsa is a noctuid moth known as the plain silver Y or western conifer looper. The species was described by Henry Edwards in 1881 and occurs in western North America. Larvae are specialized feeders on coniferous trees in the families Pinaceae and Cupressaceae.
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 ignea
Mountain Beauty Moth, mountain beauty
Syngrapha ignea, commonly known as the mountain beauty moth, is a noctuid moth species described by Grote in 1863. It exhibits a notably broad geographic distribution spanning from northern Alaska to southern California and New Mexico, with an additional disjunct population in Labrador. The species occurs across boreal forest and subarctic habitats, suggesting adaptation to cooler montane and northern environments. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, a group characterized by distinctive wing patterns and often diurnal or crepuscular activity.
Syngrapha interrogationis
Scarce Silver Y Moth
Syngrapha interrogationis, commonly known as the scarce silver Y, is a noctuid moth distributed across northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The species ranges from Alaska and Canada through Iceland, Europe, and Siberia to Northeast Asia including Japan. Adults display the characteristic silver Y-shaped mark on the forewings typical of the Plusiinae subfamily. The species is considered scarce or locally distributed in parts of its European range.
Syngrapha montana
Labrador Tea Looper Moth, Labrador tea looper
Syngrapha montana, commonly known as the Labrador tea looper moth, is a noctuid moth distributed across boreal North America. The species exhibits a transcontinental Canadian range with southern extensions into the northern United States. Its life cycle is univoltine, with one generation annually. The larval stage is specialized, feeding exclusively on Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador tea), a wetland ericaceous shrub.
Syngrapha octoscripta
Figure-eight Looper Moth, Dusky Silver Y
Syngrapha octoscripta is a noctuid moth native to North America, commonly known as the figure-eight looper moth or dusky silver Y. Adults are medium-sized with a wingspan of 34–36 mm and display the characteristic silver Y-shaped marking typical of the genus. The species has a single annual generation, with adults active during mid-summer. Larvae are specialized feeders on Vaccinium species.
Syngrapha orophila
Syngrapha orophila is a noctuid moth described by George Hampson in 1908. It is restricted to western North America, where it inhabits mountainous and northern coastal regions. The species has a single annual generation with adults active in mid-summer.
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 rectangula
Salt-and-pepper Looper Moth, Salt and Pepper Looper, Angulated Cutworm
Syngrapha rectangula is a noctuid moth species found across northern North America, from eastern Canada through the Great Lakes region and westward to the Pacific Northwest. Adults are active during summer months, with larvae feeding on coniferous trees including balsam fir, western hemlock, white spruce, and Douglas-fir. The species exhibits two recognized subspecies with distinct geographic distributions.
Syngrapha sackenii
Syngrapha sackenii is a noctuid moth described by Grote in 1877. It is restricted to the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, occurring in southwestern Montana, northeastern Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado. Very few observations exist in public databases, with only five records documented on iNaturalist.
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 surena
Surena Looper Moth
Syngrapha surena, known as the Surena Looper Moth, is a North American noctuid moth described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1882. The species belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae, which includes the 'looper' or 'owlet' moths characterized by their distinctive wing patterns and reduced forelegs. It is a rarely encountered species with limited observational records, suggesting either genuine rarity or cryptic habits that limit detection.
Syngrapha u-aureum
golden looper moth
Syngrapha u-aureum, known as the golden looper moth, is a noctuid moth distributed across boreal and subarctic regions of eastern North America. The species has one generation annually. Larvae feed on Vaccinium species, including blueberries and related shrubs. Two subspecies are recognized, differing in geographic distribution and host associations.
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.
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.