Bug FAQSmall Mocis Moth
Mocis latipes · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Small Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
Source: Wikipedia
The small Mocis moth has a wingspan of about 33 to 43 mm. It lives across North America from southern Canada down through the United States to Florida and Arizona, and continues south through Central and South America. Its caterpillars eat a variety of grasses and crops, including rice, corn, beans and turnip.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 33 to 43 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on various grasses and crops such as rice, corn, beans and turnip.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from June through October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to North America, extending from southern Canada through the United States into Central and South America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 25 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on grasses and crops like rice, corn, beans and turnip.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mocis_latipes
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.