C H EC K-LI ST OF S AS KATC H E WA N MOTH PART 6: LOOPER MOTHS (PLUSIINAE) RONALD HOOPER, Box 757 Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. SOG 2P0 The caterpillars of this sub-family are Unspotted Looper Moth - AllagraM called loopers because they loop their aerea (Hbn.) - Reported for Chafl backs similar to Geometrid Moths when area by Eichlin and Cunningham. they are crawling because they lack legs on the third and fourth abdominal seg¬ Straight-lined Looper Moth - Pseudi ments. purpurigera (Wlk.) - s Saskatchewan to Somme. The adults are medium sized moths. The fore-wings are grey or brown and European Looper - Polychrysia mormj often there is a silver mark in the middle. trabea (Sm.) - Regina; also reported|j| Sometimes this mark is shaped like an "o" the Meadow Lake area by Eichlin or a "u" or a "y," causing the name Cunningham. " Autograph a" to be given to one of the genera. The hind wings are usually pale Formosa Looper Moth - Chrysanynif i brown, buff, or orange, with broad dark formosa (Grt.) - Little Bear Lake, Jay bands near the outer margin. Lake (near Big Sandy Lake), La Ron Otter Rapids and Gordon Lake (n r Many of the species are avid flower Pinehouse). \ | feeders in the daytime. Some of the forest species prefer aster blossoms. Pink-tinted Beauty - Eosphoropte J thyatyroides (Gn.) - Fort Qu'Appi|| Abbreviations used in the text for direc¬ and Aylsham. tions are s = south, n = north, w = west, e = east; CNC = the only known Sas¬ Bilobed Looper Moth - Autogra/i I katchewan records of this species are in biloba (Steph.) - Bjorkdale and c the Canadian National Collection in Ot¬ katoon. tawa. (All species are represented in the Saskatchewan Museum of Natural His¬ tory collection in Regina unless otherwise Common Looper Moth A. precatic stated). (Gn.) - Earl Grey Variegated Brindle- Abrostola urentisGn. Rubida Looper Moth - A. rubida Ottc - - s Saskatchewan, n to Aylsham. Cypress Hills and Saskatoon. || ea Cabbage Looper - Trichoplusia ni (Hbn.) Twjn Co|d Spot. A bimacuiata (Step! f> - s Saskatchewan, n to Aylsham. s Saskatchewan, n to La Ronge. Brassy Plusia - Diachrysia aeroides (Grt.) ha - s Saskatchewan, n to Red Earth, Ayl¬ Wavy Chestnut Y - A. mappa (G. and; ) sham, and Anglin Lake. - Kamsack, Somme, Aylsham, < i Candle Lake. Large Brassy Plusia - D. balluca Gey. - Bjorkdale, Tantallon, Indian Head and Delicate Silver Y - A. pseudogamma (CMjs Regina. - Cypress Hills (CNC). 1111 WM . ■ Ia! fa Loo per K.N. Roney |alfa Looper - A. californica (Spey.) - Question Mark Looper - S. interrogationis hroughout Saskatchewan, except (L.) - Black Lake, Umpherville River lortheast corner. (near Wollaston Lake) and Key Lake. [er Whip - A. flagellum (Wlk.) - Nor¬ Surena Looper - S. surena (Grt.) - Midwest way, Somme, Shoal Lake, Aylsham Lake (west of Wollaston Lake). Ind Saskatoon. Hooked Silver Y - S. alias (Ottol.) - n |ken-banded Y - A. ampla (Wlk.) - s Saskatchewan, s to Saskatoon. iskatchewan, n to Aylsham. Mountain Looper - S. montana (Pack.) - |ery Looper - Anagrapha falcifera Harlan (CNC). (by.) - s Saskatchewan, n to Aylsham lid Meadow Lake Park. Small Gamma Looper - 5. microgamma (Hbn.) - Weekes. |ky Silver Y - Syngrapha octoscripta irt.) - n Saskatchewan, s to Mortlach. Alticola Looper - S. devergens alticola (Wlk.) - reported for Cluff Lake area by |row Silver Y - S. epigaea (Grt.) - Shoal Eichlin and Cunningham. ike and Saskatoon. Mountain Beauty - S. ignea (Grt.) - in-marked Looper - S. viridisigma Cypress Hills, Porcupine Hills, Ayl¬ 5rt.) - Throughout Saskatchewan. sham and Hunt Falls. ema Looper - S. diasema (Bdv.) - La |che. Putnam's Looper Moth - Plusia putnami Grt. - s Saskatchewan, n to Aylsham and [r U Looper - S. u-aureum (Gn.) - Buffalo Narrows. intreal Lake area and Athabasca Inds area (reported by Eichlin and Connected Looper Moth - P. contexta Grt. mningham). - Fort Qu'Appelle and Saskatoon. pi). September 1990 137 .