Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Chrysodeixis Members:	445 NC Records

Chrysodeixis includens (Walker, [1858]) - Soybean Looper Moth

view caption

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Plusiinae

Tribe:
Argyrogrammatini

P3 Number:
931170

MONA Number:
8890.00

Identification

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

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954, as Plusia includens); Lafontaine and Poole (1991)

Adult Markings: A medium-sized, dark brown Looper, with some areas of the forewing having a bronzy luster. The silvery stigma is the most conspicuous mark, composed of an open loop followed by solid silver spot that may be separate or partially joined to the loop. Chrysodeixis includens and Autographa precationis are similar in size, pattern, and coloration. In C. includens, the stigma is rounded and U-shaped whereas it is a more pointed V-shape in A. precationis. Chrysodeixis includens also has two dark wedges that are absent in A. precationis, one projecting outward from the basal line and one located in the terminal area (see Forbes, 1954, for details).

Wingspan: 35 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.


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: Wagner et al. (2011) list fields, gardens, greehouses, agricultural fields, waste places, and other open and early successional fields as habitats used by this species.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous on herbaceous plants, including many crop species (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have a record for a larvae feeding on Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia). - View

Observation Methods: Frequently seen at dusk or after dark nectaring on flowers. The presence of pollinia on some specimens indiate that they visit milkweed flowers.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Fields, Gardens, and Ruderal Habitats

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:

Photo Gallery for Chrysodeixis includens - Soybean Looper Moth

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

	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-30 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-29 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-18 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin. on 2025-08-17 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-17 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-16 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-15 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-08-01 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-07-28 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-26 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-29 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-11-18 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-11-12 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-11-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-11-05 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-11-04 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-10-31 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-10-26 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-10-23 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-21 Wayne Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-18 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-10-14 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-13 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-10-12 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-04 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-10-04 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-10-03 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-09-23 Davidson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-23 Wake Co. Comment: