Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Geometridae Members:	Chlorochlamys Members:	138 NC Records

Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Blackberry Looper Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Geometroidea

Family:
Geometridae

Subfamily:
Geometrinae

Tribe:
Hemitheini

P3 Number:
91a0661

MONA Number:
7071.00

Comments: One of four species in this genus recorded in North America and the only one found in North Carolina.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1969, 1985)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1969, 1985); Wagner et al. (2001); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: A small gray-green or yellowish-green Emerald with white striae and fairly broad, cream-colored antemedian and postmedian lines. The postmedian on the forewing is fairly straight and even. The antemedian is convex on the forewing and missing on the hindwing. The fringes and costa are yellowish and the front is either yellowish or rusty-orange (Ferguson, 1985).

Forewing Length: 8-11 mm, males; 9-11.5 mm, females (Ferguson, 1985)

Adult Structural Features: Antennae of the males are broadly pectinate at the base, gradually tapering towards the apex. Only a single pair of spurs is present on the hind tibiae of the male, distinguishing them from Nemoria, Dichorda, and Synchlora, all of which have two pairs, as do females of Chlorochlamys. Male genitalia have characteristic large socii and uncus (see Ferguson, 1985, for details and illustrations).

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Larvae are smoothly cylindrical, lacking the dorsolateral projections and spines found in Nemoria, Dichorda, and Synchlora. The head is bifid, with two angular, forward-projecting points; two similar points are also found on the anterior edge of the prothorax (Forbes, 1948; Ferguson, 1985). Larvae of the Pistachio Emerald (Hethemia pistaciaria) are similar but have longer and more pointed horns (Ferguson, 1985; Wagner, 2005).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Probably occurs statewide, from the Barrier Islands to the High Mountains

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Adults fly nearly continuously from March to September in the Coastal Plain; records from the Piedmont and Mountains are insufficient to determine a pattern.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Like our flower-feeding species of Synchlora, most of our records for Chlorochlamys come from open, forb-rich habitats. These include old fields and disturbed areas but also natural habitats such as maritime dunes and marshes; Longleaf Pine savannas, flatwoods, and sandhills; and lake and river shorelines. Very few of our records come from deep within closed-canopy forests, especially where herbaceous species are scarce.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on the flowers and berries of many species of forbs and shrubs. Blackberries (Rubus spp.) are commonly used (Forbes, 1984), but Ferguson (1985) and Wagner (2005) list many species of composites as well as representatives of several other families. In North Carolina, our only feeding record is from Narrowleaf Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius). - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights but we have no records from bait or flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Successional Fields and Forblands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: This species is widespread, polyphagous on a extensive range of common plants, and occupies a broad set of habitats, including disturbed areas. Consequently, it appears to be secure within our state.

Photo Gallery for Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria - Blackberry Looper Moth

72 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-15 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-08 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-07 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-25 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-07 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Bonnie Eamick on 2025-04-25 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-04-21 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-12 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-17 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-11 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2024-04-29 Polk Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-13 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-04-03 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-02 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-30 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-23 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-16 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2023-08-26 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2023-08-26 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-16 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-14 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-14 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-13 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-04-29 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-04-05 Carteret Co. Comment: