Bug FAQPolychrysia morigera
Polychrysia morigera · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Polychrysia morigera, known as the disjunct looper, is a moth in the Noctuidae family. Adults have a wingspan of about 28 to 31 mm and are on the wing in June and July. The species occurs in river valleys of the eastern United States, the Rocky Mountains, and the west coast from Oregon to northern California.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Polychrysia morigera is called the disjunct looper and belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 28 to 31 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae have only been recorded feeding on the plant Delphinium trolliifolium.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from June through July.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the United States, occurring in the eastern river valleys, the Rockies, and the Pacific coast.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 13 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Oregon, Colorado, Kentucky, California, Wyoming, Montana, North Carolina, Arkansas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae have only been recorded feeding on Delphinium trolliifolium.
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/Polychrysia_morigera
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.