various LOOPER MOTHS - Group #1
Soybean Looper. Similar to the Common Looper, but the bottom part of the stigma is more U-shaped. Soybean Loopers also have a distinctive black dot on the outer fringe of the wing.
Gray Looper. Apparently, this species is uncommon in our area. The two individuals on this page are the only ones I have ever seen. This individual was photographed September 15, 2014 at Cox Arboretum.
Common Looper. As the name implies, this is a very common species. I have found them every month from April through October.
Common Looper moth. Sometimes the stigma (the white mark) is separated into two parts as above, and sometimes it is fused into a single mark as at left.
Soybean Looper. I find this species from late August through early November (most of my sightings are in October).
This Soybean Looper has beautiful brassy patches on his wings. Soybean Loopers generally have more brassy colors on their wings than a Common Looper. But some Common Loopers can have a brassy appearance, and in any event, the brassy color is highly dependent on how the light is reflecting off the scales.
Sharp-stigma Looper. Note the rectangular stigma that gives this moth its name. This southern species is an occasional visitor to Ohio.
Another Common Looper. This individual is brassier than most of the Common Loopers I see, making it look similar to a Soybean Looper (see below for differences).
Another Sharp-stigma Looper. I have found a few individuals from July through October.
Another Gray Looper, photographed at my moth lights on September 22, 2021.
Another Soybean Looper, showing the U-shaped stigma and black dot on the wing fringe.
This Common Looper has some pinkish highlights, but the pattern is wrong for either a Pink-washed or Pink-patched Looper. It is "just" a Common Looper!