gray looper moth

Gray looper moth is a widespread, migratory, medium sized moth. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains, across the southwest to California, and in the Pacific Northwest. It also occurs in southern Canada from Nova Scotia to Manitoba, and in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Central America, and South America. It is most common in the south-central U.S., less common in Minnesota, where it is a rare fall migrant.

Adults are active from May to October in the northern parts of their breeding range, year-round in the south. They migrate north in late summer, arriving in Minnesota in the fall. Most observations in the state were recorded in September. They do not breed in Minnesota, and they do not survive Minnesota winters. They are found in open areas, including fields, gardens, croplands, and weedy, disturbed habitats.

Adults are ⅝″ to ⅞″ (17 to 22 mm) in length and have a 1⅜″ to 19⁄16″ (35 to 40 mm) wingspan. That is medium sized for a moth but fairly large for a looper moth (Subfamily Plusiinae). Moth size is sometimes given in terms of forewing length, which in this case is ½″ to ¾″ (13.0 to 20.0 mm).

The head and thorax are gray. A loose tuft of hair-like scales forms a tall crest on the thorax, and there is a similar but smaller tuft on the abdomen. The antennae on both sexes are thread-like.

The forewings are dull ash gray or brownish gray with dark brown markings and mottling. The basal, antemedial (AM), and postmedial (PM) lines are gray, doubled, and wavy. The basal line is visible only on the outer half, and the AM line is visible only on the inner portion beyond the cell. The subterminal (ST) line is irregular and more or less parallel to the PM line. It has dark shading before it and pale shading behind it. The terminal line is a series of dark dashes between the veins. The anal angle is usually pale. The stigma is silvery white, and it consists of two parts: a basal (inner), open, U-shaped, line; and a distal (outer) solid spot. The two parts are often connected. The circular spot in the upper median area (orbicular spot) is pale gray with a pale outer border and a thin, dark, inner border. The kidney-shaped spot in the lower median area (reniform spot) is gray with a dark inner border, a thin, pale, outer border, and a dark blotch at the end of each lower lobe.

Total length: ⅝″ to ⅞″ (17 to 22 mm)

Wingspan: 1⅜″ to 19⁄16″ (35 to 40 mm)

Forewing length: ½″ to ¾″ (13.0 to 20.0 mm)

Fields, gardens, croplands, and weedy, disturbed habitats

Two or more generations per year: May to October

A wide variety of herbaceous plants

Adults are active at night and will come to lights.

Sources

4, 21, 24, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Rare fall migrant

Gray Looper Moth ou! on Asters
margy stewart

Bobbi Johnson
September 2024

Location: Silver Bay, MN

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