Bug FAQTexas Mocis Moth
Mocis texana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Texas Mocis
The Texas Mocis moth has a wingspan of about 42 to 50 mm (1.7 to 2.0 in). It lives in eastern North America, from southern Ontario down to Florida and west to Texas and Minnesota. Adults are on the wing from April through September, and the caterpillars feed on Digitaria grasses.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from roughly 42 to 50 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars eat species of the grass genus Digitaria.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Larvae feed on Digitaria grasses. Adult moths are active from April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on wing from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 34 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama, Ohio, Kansas, Virginia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on Digitaria species, a type of grass.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are Texas Mocis moths found?
They occur in eastern North America, from southern Ontario down to Florida and west to Texas and Minnesota.
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_texana
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.