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The development rate, survival and pupal weight of the armyworms Mythimna convectaand Persectania ewingiiwere compared after the larvae were reared on seedling or mature vegetative forms of wheat, oats and barley. No larvae of P. ewingiisurvived on oat seedlings, and on mature oats survival and growth rates were significantly lower than on other cereals. P. ewingiigrowth rates were also lower on the seedling form of barley than that of wheat. Immature development rates of M. convectawere unaffected by cereal species, although pupae grown from oats were significantly heavier. M. convectawas also tested on a number of pasture grasses. The species had maximum growth rates on barley grass (Hordeum leporinum), performed well on rye grass (Lolium perenne) (with and without the fungal endophyte Acremonium lolii) and kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum), and had significantly slower growth rates on paspalum (Paspalum dilatum) and Mitchell grass (Astrebla pectinata). The possible mechanisms of plant resistance are discussed in relation to the results.