Moths of North Carolina
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Ctenoplusia Members:
148 NC Records

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

Ctenoplusia oxygrammaCtenoplusia oxygrammaCtenoplusia oxygramma
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Plusiinae		Tribe:
Argyrogrammatini		P3 Number:
931169		 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 Resources: 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.
Ctenoplusia oxygramma
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). In North Carolina, we have reared it from goldenrod. - 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 SNR [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 Moth

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

Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-11-01
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-22
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-09
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-08
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-08
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2024-09-05
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-05
Orange Co.
Comment: Reared on Solidago. Adult 2024-09-22		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-05
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-25
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-25
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-04
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-04
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-29
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-28
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-26
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-03-14
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-11-17
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-09
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-09
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-28
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2023-09-20
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-20
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-07
Polk Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-09-07
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-08-22
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-16
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-08-11
Wake Co.
Comment: