Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Enigmogramma Members: 87 NC Records

Enigmogramma basigera (Walker, 1865) - Pink-washed Looper Moth

Enigmogramma basigeraEnigmogramma basigeraEnigmogramma basigeraEnigmogramma basigera
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Plusiinae		Tribe:
Argyrogrammatini		P3 Number:
931167		 MONA Number:
8886.00
Comments: The sole member of this genus that occurs in North America; the three other species are Neotropical (Lafontaine and Poole, 1991).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Argyrogramma basigera); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Lafontaine and Poole (1991)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized Looper with reddish to pinkish brown forewings. The median area is two-toned, with the upper half from the costa to the stigma usually shaded with dark brown, sometimes shaded with pink, and the lower portion an orange- to reddish brown. The antemedian line is single, even, and edged with white or silver. The postmedian is typically narrow, black, and evenly sinuate, sometimes edged with gray. The basal portion of the stigma is rounded and open, followed by a larger spot; both can be either silver or gold.
Wingspan: 30 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Enigmogramma basigeraAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records come from the Coastal Plain and primarily from interdune ponds, depression ponds, and other open shorelines. Records from the Piedmont and Mountains also come mainly from lake or river shorelines, all where species of pennywort are expected to occur.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae have been reported on pennyworts (Hydrocotyle spp.), including Manyflower Marsh-pennywort (H. umbellata) (Lafontaine & Poole, 1991). However, Schweitzer (2006) recorded larvae feeding on Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) in New Jersey, and reported that larvae refused Hydrocotyle in captivity. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Herbaceous Wetlands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Enigmogramma basigera - Pink-washed Looper Moth

 61 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2025-07-14
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-01
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-31
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2024-09-10
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-11
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-30
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-12
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-12
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2023-08-20
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-25
Durham Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-25
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-25
Wake Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2023-03-28
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2023-03-28
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-10-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-20
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-01
Wake Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-08
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-03-05
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-28
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: J. A. Anderson on 2021-09-27
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-09-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-08-19
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-08-15
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-27
Wake Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-27
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
Comment:
Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-09
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Enigmogramma basigeraRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-29
Carteret Co.
Comment: