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National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Species Neoalcis californiaria - Brownlined Looper - Hodges#6435

Brownlined Looper Moth - Neoalcis californiaria - female

A group of moths found in house here when window screen was missing #4 - Neoalcis californiaria - female

Boarmiini? - Neoalcis californiaria - female

Geometrid Moth - Neoalcis californiaria - male

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)

Family Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)

Subfamily Ennominae

Tribe Boarmiini

Genus Neoalcis

Species californiaria (Brownlined Looper - Hodges#6435)

Hodges Number

6435

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Neoalcis californiaria (Packard, 1871)

First described in 1871 by Alpheus Spring Packard as Boarmia californiaria

* Phylogenetic sequence #190825

Numbers

The only species in this genus in North America.

Size

Forewing length 15-18 mm.(1)

Identification

Specimens identified by DNA analysis:

Range

Southern California to coastal British Columbia.(1)

Bug Guide - range map with monthly record of photos submitted to the guide.

Moth Photographers Group - large range map with collection dates.

Season

Adults fly March through October.(1)

Moth Photographers Group has California records from March through December. MPG

Food

Larvae feed mainly on Douglas-Fir; other hosts include Western Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, Grand Fir, Lodgepole Pine (Canadian Forest Service).

Larvae also feed on many broadleaf trees and shrubs (USGS)

Life Cycle

Larvae:

Print References

Powell, J. A., and P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. pl. 28.14; p. 208.(1)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - range map, photos of living and pinned adults.

BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - collection map and photos of pinned adults.

live larva image and other info (USGS)

Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History v.13 Packard's original description of the species.

Works Cited

1.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 11 January, 2005 - 8:55pm
Additional contributions by anitagould, Chuck Entz, Maury Heiman, Robert Lord Zimlich, Robert H. Biagi, Steve Morris
Last updated 1 December, 2022 - 1:20pm

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