Autographa californica – Alfalfa Looper

Family Nocutidae    Hodges # 8914

Caterpillar foods: more than 50 genera of herbaceous plants and shrubs; legumes such as clover and alfalfa are common hosts  (Bugguide)

This is pretty far east of it’s normal range, according to both Bugguide and MPG.  But there are few dots on the MPG map in northern Minnesota and Michigan, and Carl Barrentine has some photos that look like the same species from North Dakota.  Jerry Fauske (North Dakota State University – Dept of Entomology) agrees with this ID.

8/31/2013

Autographa californica 8-31-13 1

 

8/31/2013

Autographa californica 8-31-13 2

 

8/10/2023  Seen during the day

on Bugguide