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Omnivorous Looper

Sabulodes aegrotata

Description:

Cream colored moth with a fuzzy head. Faint single line marking across all wings. The caterpillar of this moth is at spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/690.... "The omnivorous looper (family Geometridae), also called looper or avocado looper, feeds on several dozen plant species. Omnivorous looper occurs in most avocado groves, generally in low numbers, unless natural enemies are disrupted by application of broad-spectrum insecticides. Adults are mostly tan to orangish on top, with a narrow black band across the middle of the wings. They are white on the underside and have a wingspan of about 1.75 to 2 inches. Females live 2 to 3 weeks, laying eggs in clusters of 3 to 80 on the underside of leaves. Each barrel-shaped egg has a ring of tiny projections around one end. Eggs initially are pale green, then turn shiny reddish to brown. Eggs hatch about 8 or 9 days after oviposition, leaving transparent shells. Young larvae are pale yellow and about 0.06 inch long. Mature larvae are 2 to 2.5 inches long and mostly yellow to pale green or pink, with a gold-colored head. Older larvae have variable dark brown, black, green, or orangish lines along their sides. In addition to three pairs of true legs behind the head, avocado looper has two pairs of appendages (prolegs) near its rear on abdominal segments 6 and 10. Larvae travel in a characteristic looping manner, where they extend their body forward, then draw their rear forward to meet their forelegs. This arches their body up into a loop. When disturbed, omnivorous loopers often drop and hang from leaves on a silken thread. Larvae feed about 6 weeks, then pupate within rolled or webbed leaves. Pupae are 1 to 1.25 inches long and white when first formed. The case darkens as a moth with brownish wings develops and can be seen through the pupal case. Pupation lasts 1 to 4 weeks. Populations increase with increasing temperatures in spring. Omnivorous looper typically has four (and perhaps five) generations per year at warmer growing areas. From inland Ventura to San Diego Counties, most adults fly and oviposit during January through March, May through June, August through September, and October through November. Three generations a year are typical in coastal Santa Barbara County, where moths typically emerge and lay eggs during March through April, June through July, and August through September. Depending on temperature, egg to adult development takes 2 to 5 months." - UC IPM Online

Habitat:

On a shaded Bougainvillea leaf next to Avocado tree in the backyard

Notes:

"Few people realize that the voracious hornworm, looper and armyworm caterpillars that defoliate desert wildflowers, crop plants and garden vegetables, eventually become nectar-feeding adult moths that render important pollination services to many of the same plants. Moth pollination is more prevalent in the Southwest than in other regions of North America, largely due to warm evenings, favorable climate, and proximity to the moth-rich canyons and thorn- scrub of northern Mexico. " - http://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_m...

1 Species ID Suggestions

KarenP
KarenP 12 years ago
Slant line moth
Tetracis spp. Tetracis


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8 Comments

Happy National Moth Week! I spotted this moth 1 year early :)

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 12 years ago

Thanks jgorneau. This was my first macro I was proud of using a compact camera!

Jacob Gorneau
Jacob Gorneau 12 years ago

Amazing!!!!

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 12 years ago

Thank you Ashish! I believe this is it.
Thank you both for narrowing it down to the genus!

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 12 years ago

Here is your match....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76798465@N0...
Actually Karen was reached...but not marked exact specie...

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 12 years ago

I guessed on the species Sabulodes aegrotata so please let me know if you disagree!!!!

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 12 years ago

Karen, I'm not sure about the Tetracis ID. Mine has a line through all wings, not just the top. It's close though!
Ashish, you're definitely correct about the Geometridae family.
Thank you both for helping!

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 12 years ago

Typical Geometridae moth

San Diego, California, USA

Spotted on Jul 26, 2011
Submitted on Jul 26, 2011

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