Pink-patched Looper

Pink-patched Looper

Esphoropteryx thyatyroides
OWLET MOTHS (Noctuidae)

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The Pink-patched Looper has a wingspan of about 1.50 inches. The forewing is silvery gray with a brown streak through the central median area. Inside the brown streak is a 2 part silvery stigma, which has a squiggly inner part and a solid outer spot. The basal area is pink. The hindwing is grayish-brown with a pale median line. The caterpillar is green with a conspicuous white oblique line between segments.

 

The Pink-patched Looper is considered to be uncommon to rare. The individual shown here was photographed at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in late August 2014. Its habitat is lush meadows, open deciduous woodland, woodland clearings and edges. It was the first sighting for Nebraska for the BugGuide website.

 

The larvae eat the leaves of meadow-rue and columbine.

 

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