Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Noctuidae Members:	Rachiplusia Members:	22 NC Records

Rachiplusia ou (Guenée, 1852) - Gray Looper Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Noctuidae

Subfamily:
Plusiinae

Tribe:
Plusiini

P3 Number:
931176

MONA Number:
8895.00

Comments: This genus comprises three species, all confined to the New World but with only R. ou reaching North America (Lafontaine and Poole, 1991).

Identification

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

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

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

Adult Markings: A medium-sized, dull, ash-gray Looper. Lines on the forewing are non-contrasting and inconspicuous, but both the antemedian and postmedian are doubled, pale filled, and waved rather than even (Forbes, 1954). The subterminal is somewhat irregular, with a dark shade on the basal side and a pale gray shade beyond it; both the apex and anal angle usually are marked with pale gray. The stigma is a rounded, open u-shape, without a silver filling; a small silver spot, sometimes with a dark center, follows. Hindwings are dull luteous.

Wingspan: 35-40 mm (Forbes, 1954)

Adult Structural Features: The only species of Plusiine in our area with spines on the tibiae of all three pairs of legs (Lafontaine and Pool, 1991).

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Wagner et al. (2011) list fields, gardens, croplands, and other early successional habitats.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous on herbaceous plants, including many crop species. Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list ragweed (Ambrosia), mint (Mentha), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), clover (Trifolium), and wheat (Zea mays). - View

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 [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 Rachiplusia ou - Gray Looper Moth

Photos: 24

	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-08-11 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-28 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-11-09 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-04-07 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-04-07 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-10-23 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-09-28 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-09-16 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-08-27 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-08-01 Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-29 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-07-25 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-09-19 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-07-13 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-07-13 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-07-03 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-29 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-29 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2019-05-19 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Doug Blatny/Jackie Nelson on 2012-06-21 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Doug Blatny/Jackie Nelson on 2012-06-21 Ashe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2012-06-06 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2009-08-22 Camden Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2001-05-30 Hoke Co. Comment: Wingspan = 3.5 cm; forewing length = 1.7 cm.