Fletcher's Larch Looper (Eupithecia fletcherata)

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Holometabola
Order	Lepidoptera
Superfamily	Geometroidea
Family	Geometridae
Subfamily	Larentiinae
Tribe	Eupitheciini
Genus	Eupithecia

Scientific Name

Eupithecia fletcherata

Common Name

Fletcher's eupithecia

Maier, C.T.; Lemmon, C.R.; Fengler, J.M.; Schweitzer, D.F.; Reardon, R.C.; Caterpillars on the Foliage of Conifers in the Northeastern United States. Morgantown, WV. USDA Forest Service. Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. FHTET-2004-01. March 2004. 151 p.

Description

Slender, brownish body with dorsal diamonds and lateral oblique lines; variable body color. Dark brown head; brown middorsal stripe expanded into diamond on A1 to A5 or A6. Slightly curved, white oblique line above spiracles with purplish to dark brown areas above and below; dark brown subspiracular stripe. Anal plate edged with white posteriorly; dark brown prolegs on A10; whitish, partly speckled venter with reddish brown stripe down center. Up to 13 mm.

Food

Eastern larch and white spruce; uncommonly red and black spruces.

Life Cycle

One generation. Pupa overwinters. Mature caterpillar present from July to September.

Comments

This looper is the species of Eupithecia most closely associated with larch in northeastern North America. Two other species that occasionally eat larch are the early brown looper, E. annulata, and the fir needle inchworm, E. lariciata. Both of these caterpillars, however, also feed on many other conifers. The fir needle inchworm usually has a yellowish brown body with purplish markings.