Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Mocis latipes - Small Mocis - Hodges#8743

Unk moth - Mocis latipes Small Mocis Moth - Hodges #8743 - Mocis latipes Mocis - Mocis latipes Withered Mocis [Mocis marcida] moth maybe? - Mocis latipes 8743     Small Mocis Moth     (Mocis latipes) - Mocis latipes Small Mocis Moth - Mocis latipes Small Mocis - Mocis latipes Unknown moth - Mocis latipes
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Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Erebidae
Subfamily Erebinae
Tribe Euclidiini
Genus Mocis
Species latipes (Small Mocis - Hodges#8743)
Hodges Number
8743
Other Common Names
Striped Grass Looper (larva)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852)
M. indentata (Harvey, 1875)
* Phylogenetic sequence #930942.
Numbers
Five species in the Mocis genus are found in America north of Mexico.(1)
Size
Wingspan 33-43 mm
Identification
Adult: forewing yellowish-brown variably shaded with darker brown; female usually more yellowish to reddish than male; AM and PM lines nearly straight; look for round subreniform spot, outlined in black, just below reniform spot; some individuals have black spot of variable size along inner margin
hindwing yellowish-brown with dark brown shading and two faint lines.
[adapted from description by Charles Covell]
Range
Southern Ontario and Quebec to Florida, west to Arizona, north to Minnesota.
Also occurs through Central and South America.
Bug Guide - range map with monthly record of photos submitted to the guide.
Moth Photographers Group - large range map with collection dates.
Habitat
Fields, grasslands, gardens, open areas.
Season
Adults fly from May through December, but can be found year round in southern areas.
Food
Larvae feed on grasses, including rice and corn; also beans and turnip.
Life Cycle
Life cycle images:
larva; larva; pupa in grass shelter; adult
See Also
Several other Mocis species are similar.
Print References
Lafontaine J. D., and B. C. Schmidt 2010. Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America North of Mexico. p. 36.(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.
adult image (Larry Line, Maryland)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)
Moth Photographers Group - photo of pinned adult and the related species.
Works Cited
1.Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America north of Mexico.
Donald J. Lafontaine, B. Christian Schmidt. 2010. ZooKeys 40: 1–239 .