Bug FAQAbstruse False Looper Moth
Syngrapha abstrusa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The abstruse false looper moth belongs to the Noctuidae family. Its wingspan measures about 30 to 32 mm. Adults are on the wing from June through August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Syngrapha abstrusa is a moth in the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 30 to 32 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs across North America from Newfoundland to New Jersey, through southern Canada, Montana and northern New Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on Engelmann spruce, white spruce, and jack pine.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from June to August, with timing varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes the same North American regions listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 7 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Montana, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, Maine, Wisconsin, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see the abstruse false looper moth?
Adults are active from June through August, depending on where you are.
Source: Wikipedia
What trees do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on Engelmann spruce, white spruce, and jack pine.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngrapha_abstrusa
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.