Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Ctenoplusia Members:
131 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).
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

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

Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2023-09-20
Moore Co.
Comment: 		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.
Comment: 		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.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-16
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-08-11
Wake Co.
Comment: 		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.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-24
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-07-11
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ed Corey on 2022-09-17
Martin Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-09-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		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.
Comment: 		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.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-07-23
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-07-09
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-28
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-06-28
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-24
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-21
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-24
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-10
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-09-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2021-08-21
Orange Co.
Comment: