401 
June, ’24] vickery: striped grass looper 
THE STRIPED GRASS LOOPER, MOCIS REPANDA 1 FAB., 
IN TEXAS 
By R. A. Vickery, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture 
Abstract 
The striped grass looper (Mods repanda Fab.) which has long been known as a 
serious pest of crops in Tropical America is occasionally injurious in Southern Texas. 
It was observed at Brownsville injuring Bermuda grass and sugar-cane in 1910, and 
destroying pasture grasses in 1916. 
In addition to corn, sugar-cane, and Bermuda grass, the larvae fed on the follow¬ 
ing grasses: Cenchrus viridis Spreng., Trichlons pluriflora Fourn., Eriochloa punctata 
(L) Hamil., Leptochloa nealleyi Vasey, and Panicum fasciculatum Sw. The latter 
species appeared to be the favorite host plant. 
Although the striped grass looper (Mods repanda ) has not been re¬ 
corded previously as injurious in the United States it has long been 
known in Tropical America. It has been recorded as a serious pest of 
crops in the West Indies, in British Guiana and in Brazil. Bodkin, 
(9) * 2 the British Government entomologist describing the damage done 
by this insect in British Guiana says: “On sugar-cane, rice, Paragrass 
and other grasses throughout the coast lands of the colony this moth 
may be found throughout the year and at certain periods, particularly on 
the occurrence of rain after prolonged drought, it appears in vast 
hordes completely destroying whole areas of the previously mentioned 
crops.” 
Injurious Occurrence in the United States 
The full grown larva is about l-fi inches long and inch wide, and 
is easily recognized by its slender cylindrical body, conspicuous brown 
stripes, and its habit of looping the body when in motion. In general 
habits these larvae resemble army-worms. They may occur in great 
numbers in a small area and completely defoliate the wild and culti¬ 
vated grasses upon which they feed, leaving only the stems of small 
grasses and the stems and midribs of large grasses such as sugar-cane. 
When the food plants are destroyed the larvae migrate. The larval 
stages have been described by Dr. H. G. Dyar (1). 
The larvae of Mods repanda were observed by the writer first at 
Brownsville Tex., on October 18, 1910. They were feeding on Bermuda 
grass in company with army worms (Cirphis unipuncta Haw.). One 
larva was found feeding on sugar-cane, also in company with army 
worms. The larvae destroyed considerable Bermuda grass and damaged 
Tepidoptera, Noctuidae. 
2 Reference is made by number to “Literature cited.” 
