Bug FAQPutnam's Looper Moth
Plusia putnami · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Lempke's Gold Spot, Putnam's Looper, lempkes gold spot
The adult has a wingspan of about 32 to 42 mm. It lives across the Palearctic and much of North America, from Japan and Siberia to Britain and France, and from Newfoundland to Alaska and down to Colorado. Larvae feed on grasses such as Calamagrostis, and adults are seen from May to October in northern North America and July to August in western Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Wing pattern differences with Plusia festucae are inconsistent; genital examination is needed to separate the two species.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 32 mm to 42 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in the Palearctic region and across much of North America, from eastern Siberia and Japan to Fennoscandia, Britain and France, and from Newfoundland and Labrador to central Alaska, British Columbia, Pennsylvania, Washington, north-eastern California, Utah and Colorado.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on grasses, especially species of Calamagrostis.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In North America it is native from Newfoundland and Labrador west to central Alaska and south to Pennsylvania, Washington, north-eastern California, Utah and Colorado, and in the Palearctic from Japan and eastern Siberia to Fennoscandia, Britain and France.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It can be confused with Plusia festucae, but the wing patterns vary and a genital dissection is required for reliable identification.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Montana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Wyoming.
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
How can I tell Putnam's looper moth apart from similar species?
The wing markings are not reliable; you need to dissect the genitalia to distinguish it from Plusia festucae.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult Putnam's looper moths active?
In western Europe they are on the wing in July and August, while in northern North America they appear from May to October.
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/Plusia_putnami
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.