Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: 169 NC Records

Autographa precationis (Guenée, 1852) - Common Looper

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: PlusiinaeTribe: PlusiiniP3 Number: 931191.00 MONA Number: 8908.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONATechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954, as Plusia precationis); 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 is similar in size, pattern, and coloration. In C. includens, however, 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 (Forbes, 1954). According to Lafontaine and Poole (1991), precationis has rusty-red tints that are missing in includens, and the reniform is surrounded by a thin (often obscure) white line that is always absent in includens.
Wingspan: 33-38 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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Wagner et al. (2011) list fields, gardens, agricultural fields, waste place, and other open and early successional habitats as used by this species. While we have some records from open habitats in the Piedmont, the majority of our records come from forested sites in the Mountains. Records from summits, however, may represent migrants.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous on herbaceous plants, including at least some crop species.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields
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 Autographa precationis - Common Looper

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

Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-09-13
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-13
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-13
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-06-02
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-05-11
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-29
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-04-20
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-07
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2021-04-06
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-05
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: JIm Petranka on 2020-10-28
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-10-25
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-10-25
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-10-14
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-10-02
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-10-01
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-09-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-09-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-08-27
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-13
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-06-01
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-04-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-18
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-08-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-08-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: