About Lambdina pellucidaria (Grote & Robinson, 1867)
Lambdina pellucidaria (Grote & Robinson, 1867) is a moth of the family Geometridae, commonly called the pitch pine looper, eastern pine looper, and yellow-headed looper. This species is found in eastern regions of the United States, ranging from New York west to Illinois and south to Georgia. The adult moth has a wingspan of approximately 33 millimeters, and adults fly from March to June, with flight timing varying by location. The larvae of this species feed on pitch pine, red pine, other hard pines, and oak. When adults emerge, they lay eggs on both sides of pine needles. After hatching, larvae feed on needles until late September in the northeastern United States; this timing varies by location. Once larvae are fully grown, they drop to the ground, overwinter, and pupate in the organic duff layer underneath host trees. Mature larvae measure 1 to 1.5 inches long, with bodies that range from pale brown to greenish-gray. They have a lighter-colored dorsum, darker striping along the sides, yellow legs, a spotted head, and black spiracles. Larval coloration varies considerably across individuals. This species can often be most reliably identified by the characteristic needle-mining feeding behavior of its larvae, rather than by coloration; most other looper species eat entire needles instead of mining them.
