Alfalfa looper moth
Autographa californica
insectView on iNaturalist
Mottled gray-brown moth with figure-eight marking on wing. Larvae feed on diverse plants; adults pollinate evening-blooming natives in Bay Area gardens.
Plants that support Alfalfa looper moth
6 plants
California Golden Violet
Viola pedunculata
perennial herb
Polyphagous moth larvae feeding on viola leaves
Bay Area native
Exserted Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja exserta subsp. exserta
annual
larval food plant
Bay Area native
Hillside Gooseberry
Ribes californicum var. californicum
shrub
Larval feeding on currant leaves during spring growth
Bay Area native
Mount Diablo Manzanita
Arctostaphylos auriculata
shrub
Adult nectar foraging during spring activity period
Bay Area nativeKeystone species
Royal Larkspur
Delphinium variegatum subsp. variegatum
perennial herb
Larval feeding on plant foliage during growing season
Bay Area native
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
perennial herb
Larval host plant; caterpillars feed on foliage
Bay Area native