Striped Grass Looper moth Mocis latipes - Mocis latipes - BugGuide.Net

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Photo#598557

Copyright © 2011 Karen Anthonisen Finch

Striped Grass Looper moth Mocis latipes - Mocis latipes

Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida, USA
November 27, 2011

When looping, this caterpillar shows two distinct black spots on its back that are hidden when the looper stretches again. Spots seem to function as flashing eyespots, since the spots flash out as the back rises. Found feeding on long blades of guinea grass along the banks of a pond. I am raising it; hopefully will get the pupa and adult.

Images of this individual: tag all

Striped Grass Looper moth Mocis latipes - Mocis latipes

Striped Grass Looper moth Mocis latipes - Mocis latipes

Contributed by Karen Anthonisen Finch on 1 December, 2011 - 9:02am
Last updated 28 October, 2012 - 10:34am

Moved

Moved from Mocis.

… Maury J. Heiman, 28 October, 2012 - 10:34am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 10 December, 2011 - 6:30pm

Good find, Ilona

and here's the one on BugGuide

and those two pair of abdominal prolegs says it's not a Geometrid. Everything is fitting together!

… john and jane balaban, 1 December, 2011 - 7:21pm

Dang, we've seen this posted twice on BugGuide

and now we can't find it. Do you have an image which shows how many pair of abdominal prolegs it has?

… john and jane balaban, 1 December, 2011 - 3:28pm

Just uploaded it...

so you can see more of the abdominal prolegs in the third photo of the caterpillar. You know, it just pupated (or is in the transition - see new photos) today. Otherwise I could have taken a better photo of the prolegs!

… Karen Anthonisen Finch, 1 December, 2011 - 3:53pm

Just a guess

… Ilona L., 1 December, 2011 - 4:58pm

That is a striking resemblance...

...your link shows the black areas upon its back even more clearly.

… Karen Anthonisen Finch, 1 December, 2011 - 5:24pm

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