Clover Looper, Range Grass Moth

A common, widespread species; no concerns.

Adults are on the wing in Alberta from early May through mid September.

Found throughout most of the USA and Canada; in Canada from the maritimes west to BC and north to James Bay and Yukon. Throughout most of Alberta, from the Milk River to the Caribou Mountains.

"A medium-size (3-3.2 cm wingspan) brownish grey (male) or brown (female) moth active both during the day and night. The forewing of the male is crossed by two the antemedian one running obliquely to the lower wing margin and touching or almost touching the vertical postmedian band near the lower margin. Crassiuscula is smaller (particularly the small spring brood specimens formerly treated as sp. distincta) and less "crisply" marked than the similar C. erechtea. The female is brown, is a bit larger and has more diffuse marking than does the male. Some larger male specimens may be very difficult to separate from C. erechtea, but these can be identified by checking the genitalia, which differ greatly in the two species."

Roadsides, old fields, pastures, meadows and other open grassy areas.

This moth is somewhat unusual in that it is active both during the day and at night. There are two or more broods per year, with an early brood of smaller adults appearing in May.

No Alberta data. Elsewhere the larvae are reported to eat grasses (Gramineae) (Rockburne and Lafontaine, 1976), clover (Trifolium), lupines (Lupinus) , and grasses (Covell, 1984).

Ottawa, Ontario Museum Specimens

Caenurgina crassiuscula, the clover looper or range grass moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1809. It is found from coast to coast in the United States and adjacent parts of Canada, in the west to the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska.

Illustration

The wingspan is 30–40 mm. Adults are on wing from March to November depending on the location.

The larvae feed on various species of clover, grass, and lupine.