The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other families of the Noctuoidea. It was considered the largest family in Lepidoptera for a long time, but after regrouping Lymantriinae, Catocalinae and Calpinae within the family Erebidae, the latter holds this title now. Currently, Noctuidae is the second largest family in Noctuoidea, with about 1,089 genera and 11,772 species. This classification is still contingent, as more changes continue to appear between Noctuidae and Erebidae.
Helicoverpa zea, commonly known as the corn earworm, is a species in the family Noctuidae. The larva of the moth Helicoverpa zea is a major agricultural pest. Since it is polyphagous during the larval stage, the species has been given many different common names, including the cotton bollworm and the tomato fruitworm. It also consumes a wide variety of other crops.
Saturniidae, members of which are commonly named the saturniids, is a family of Lepidoptera with an estimated 2,300 described species. The family contains some of the largest species of moths in the world. Notable members include the emperor moths, royal moths, and giant silk moths.
The cabbage looper is a medium-sized moth in the family Noctuidae, a family commonly referred to as owlet moths. Its common name comes from its preferred host plants and distinctive crawling behavior. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, bok choy, and broccoli, are its main host plant; hence, the reference to cabbage in its common name. The larva is called a looper because it arches its back into a loop when it crawls.
Acronicta rumicis, the knot grass moth, is a species of moth which is part of the genus Acronicta and family Noctuidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in the Palearctic region. A. rumicis lives and feeds on plants located in wide-open areas. At its larval stage, as a caterpillar, it causes such a large impact as a crop pest that it has received much attention and research. A. rumicis feeds on maize, strawberries and other herbaceous plants.
The tomato looper or golden twin-spot moth(Chrysodeixis chalcites) is a moth of the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. It mainly lives in southern Europe, the Levant and tropical Africa, but can be seen migrating across much of Europe. In 2013, it was spotted in Canada. It is an important horticultural pest in New Zealand.
Autographa californica, the alfalfa looper, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Adolph Speyer in 1875. It is found in western North America from southern British Columbia to Baja California and to Manitoba, South Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico.
Chrysodeixis includens, the soybean looper, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is known as falso medidor in north-eastern Mexico. It is found from southern Quebec and southern Ontario through the eastern and southern part of the United States to Central America and South America, the Antilles and the Galápagos Islands. It is known to be migratory. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1858.
Spodoptera eridania is a moth that is known to be a pest. They are one of the most important defoliators in the tropical and subtropical regions of the western hemisphere that feed heavily on plants while they are young, often resulting in skeleton leaves on their food plants. They are also heavy feeders on tomato in Florida. There is a lot of development in producing pesticides against the S. eridania, specifically a neem-based pesticide that can result in smaller and prolonged development. The wingspan is 33–38 mm. Adults are on wing year-round. The larvae feed on various weeds but prefer Amaranthus species and Phytolacca americana.
Autographa bimaculata, the two-spotted looper moth, twin gold spot or double-spotted spangle, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by James Francis Stephens in 1830. It is found in North America from Newfoundland west, just short of the coast of British Columbia, north to the Northwest Territories and south to New Mexico in the west and Pennsylvania and Long Island in the east.
Autographa sansoni, the Alberta beauty, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by F. H. Wolley Dod in 1910. It is found in the western mountains of North America, from Alaska south to Oregon, Idaho and Arizona. Occurring mainly in the Pacific Northwest, it thrives in mid-to-high elevation conifer forest habitat, as well as some areas of coastal rain forest in the Coast range. However, it is also found in a non-contiguous range in sub-alpine forest in the Rocky Mountains, ranging from Alberta in the north, to New Mexico in the south. The wingspan of an adult ranges between 34 and 36 mm. It is widespread, and a relatively common species.
Rachiplusia ou, commonly known as the gray looper moth, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in the southern and eastern parts of the United States, Montana, Nova Scotia, from Mexico to Venezuela to Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
Schinia pulchripennis, or the common flower moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae that is distributed throughout North America, including California and Nevada.
Enigmogramma basigera, the pink-washed looper, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865. It is found in the eastern and central United States, south to Mexico. It is also found in the Caribbean, south to French Guiana.
Allagrapha aerea, the unspotted looper moth or copper looper moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1803. It is found in eastern North America from southern Ontario to the Florida Panhandle and west to western Nebraska.
Diachrysia aereoides, the dark-spotted looper or lined copper looper, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1864. It is found in North America from Newfoundland west to northern California. It reaches its southernmost distribution in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Diachrysia balluca, commonly known as the green-patched looper or hologram moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by scientific illustrator Carl Geyer in 1832.
Polychrysia morigera, the disjunct looper, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Henry Edwards in 1886. In the east of North America, it is found in the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio river valleys from Pennsylvania to Tennessee. In the Rocky Mountains it is found from Montana to Colorado and on the west coast it occurs from Oregon to northern California. It is the rarest of the North American Plusiinae species.
Chrysanympha formosa, the Formosa looper, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1865. It is found in North America from Newfoundland west to Manitoba and south to the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroides, the pink-patched looper moth or pink-tinted beauty, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. In North America it is found from Nova Scotia and northern Ontario south to Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and along the Appalachians from Maine to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina; and to the west, it occurs from central Alberta and southern British Columbia, south in the Cascades to southern Oregon, and in the Rocky Mountains to northern Idaho.
