Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Rachiplusia Members:
22 NC Records

Rachiplusia ou (Guenée, 1852) - Gray Looper

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: PlusiinaeTribe: PlusiiniP3 Number: 931176.00 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 Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical 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) - 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 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 Rachiplusia ou - Gray Looper

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.