Vetch Looper Moth
Caenurgia chloropha
The caterpillar of this species loops its body like an inchworm because it lacks several pairs of mid-body prolegs.
- Scientific name
- Caenurgia chloropha
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Erebidae › Caenurgia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Meadows, agricultural fields, roadsides, and open grasslands.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on legumes such as clover and vetch; adults feed on wildflower nectar.
- Range
- North America, United States, Canada
- Size
- Wingspan of 2.5 to 3.5 cm
- Lifespan
- 1 to 2 months
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Pesticide application in agricultural fields, habitat loss, and light pollution which disrupts nocturnal navigation.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This moth is entirely safe to observe. If one enters your home, gently capture it in a cup and release it outside near grassy areas. No special precautions or medical treatments are necessary.
The Vetch Looper Moth ( Caenurgia chloropha ) is a moth of the Erebidae family. It is found in the south-eastern United States, northern Mexico and Cuba. Strays may be found as far north as southern Ontario.
Photo: Alex Stach, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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