Photo by Drees. Some specimens are marked with light stripes along the body. Most loopers are cryptically colored, however, a few like the single filament looper , Sudariophora acutalis Wlk.
Females lay eggs singly on host plants.
Larvae grow up to 2 inches long, have five pairs of abdominal prolegs, and their coloration varies from all light green to dark brown with dark and light-colored stripes down the body. Development from egg to adult occurs in 31 to 46 days. Caterpillars feed on tender leaves, causing skeletonization and defoliation, with injury on soybean plants being most severe on the upper part of the plant. Host plants include primarily legumes such as alfalfa, cowpea, peanuts and soybeans. In the south, several generations can occur annually.