Illustraton of Green looper
Illustration by EH Zeck.
This is an illustration of Green looper Plausia sp. (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae)
Order reference: green-looper
One of the common species of looper moths, named because of the characteristic looping movement of the caterpillar when walking. This species is a pest of leafy vegetables. Zeck has provided two sets of illustrations in his painting. The magnified area shows features of the four stages of the life cycle: egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa and adult moth with its wings folded. In the background, we see typical leaf damage and the four life stages as they appear on the plant, the pupa protected by its cocoon. As the card on which Zeck painted has changed colour over time, the method by which he created the damaged effect on the leaves is revealed. The leaves were originally drawn intact and the eaten areas painted out with white paint which now stands out against the yellowing background.