Bug FAQHoary Conifer Looper
Nepytia umbrosaria · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of roughly 33 mm, while mature caterpillars grow to about 35 mm long. Adults are seen flying from late July into early August.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures about 33 mm. Fully grown larvae reach a length of roughly 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in North America, including states such as Arizona, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and provinces like British Columbia and California.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the needles of western firs, grand fir, Douglas fir and western hemlock.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species spends the winter as a mid-instar larva. Larvae are active from April through June and then pupate in June.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from late July to early August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers parts of the United States and Canada, specifically the regions listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, California, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Washington, Oklahoma, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on the foliage of firs, Douglas fir and western hemlock.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are they?
Adults have a wingspan of about 33 mm and mature larvae grow to roughly 35 mm long.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepytia_umbrosaria
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.