Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Ctenoplusia Members:
135 NC Records

Ctenoplusia oxygramma (Geyer, 1832) - Sharp-stigma Looper


Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: PlusiinaeTribe: ArgyrogrammatiniP3 Number: 931169.00 MONA Number: 8889.00
Comments: The only member of its genus found in the New World (Lafontaine and Poole, 1991).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Agrapha oxygramma); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954, as Plusia oxygramma); Lafontaine and Poole (1991)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized, dull, dark gray Looper with a constrastingly pale, elongated stigma. Lines and markings are obscure but the long, knife-shaped stigma, joined at the base by the trapezoidal orbicular, is an easy field mark for this species. Hind wings are fuscous.
Wingspan: 35-40 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from a variety of open habitats from across the state, including herbaceous openings in the Mountains to maritime dunes on the barrier islands
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous on herbaceous plants. Crumb (1956) lists asters, goldenrod, horseweed, and tobacco (Wagner et al., 2011). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Successional Fields and Forblands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Ctenoplusia oxygramma - Sharp-stigma Looper

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

Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-03-14
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-11-17
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-09
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-09
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-28
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2023-09-20
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-20
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-07
Polk Co.
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Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-07
Polk Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-22
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-16
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-08-11
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2023-07-28
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-24
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-11
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2022-09-17
Martin Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-09-13
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-08-18
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Jennifer Smith & Michael P. Morales on 2022-08-13
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Jennifer Smith & Michael P. Morales on 2022-08-13
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-26
Greene Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-07-23
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-07-09
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-28
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-28
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-24
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-21
Madison Co.
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