Bug FAQEpigaea Looper Moth
Syngrapha epigaea · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Epigaea Looper
The pirate looper moth has a wingspan of about 39 to 40 mm. Adults fly in July and August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures 39 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) and sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from July through August, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes all of Canada and extends into the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Maine, Alaska, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin.
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 pirate looper moth?
Adults are active in midsummer, typically from July to August, depending on where you live.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on lowbush blueberry and sheep laurel.
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_epigaea
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.