Plusiine (Noctuidae) Moths of the Pacific Northwest

There are approximately 400 species of plusiine moths distributed worldwide. Of the 79 species in the US and Canada, 39 are found in the Pacific Northwest. Plusiines, commonly called "loopers", are medium-sized moths that are generally characterized by distinctive traits on the forewings, including silvery-white markings, called stigmata (singular, stigma) and metallic or pastel highlights/shading. The caterpillars (larval phase) of many species feed on economically important crops and trees, and some are considered pests. However, most species in the region never attain pest status.

Pacific Northwest genera:  Abrostola, Anagrapha, Autographa, Diachrysia, Euchalcia, Eosophoropteryx, Megalographa, Plusia, Polychrysia, Pseudeva, Rachiplusia, Syngrapha, Trichoplusia.

 

Identification Key for Plusiinae Moths*

This interactive key will allow you to quickly and easily identify plusiine moths of the Pacific Northwest. You can select from a wide list of physical traits, such as wing length and color, while the key narrows down the possibilities. By selecting multiple traits, you can quickly single out the species you are trying to identify.

This comprehensive key includes photographs of the physical traits to select from, as well as profiles and detailed photos of each plusiine species. For more help on using the interactive key, please visit the tutorial page. The key may take several seconds to a minute to load, depending on the speed of individual internet connections.

*To use the interactive key, Java Virtual Machine (JVM) v1.4.2 or greater must be installed on your computer.

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Contributors: Merrill Peterson, Kailey Kimball, and Matthew Fisher (Biology Dept., Western Washington University); Jon Shepard (Nelson, B.C.), Lars Crabo (Bellingham, WA), and Richard S. Zack (Dept. of Entomology, Washington State University).