Moth Of The Week

Moth of the Week

African Wild Silk Moth

Gonometa postica

The African wild silk moth is a part of the family Lasiocampidae. It was first described in 1855 by Francis Walker. It is also known as the Brandwurm in its larval stage in Afrikaans, Kweena in its pupal stage in Tshwana, and Molopo moth/mot in English and Afrikaans.

Description The female of this moth is much longer and larger than the male due to having to carry eggs. The male is about half the size of the female and much thinner.

The female has a light brown abdomen with a dark brown thorax and head. The female’s forewings are striped light brown, dark brown, and gray. The hindwings are a yellow-brown with a dark brown edge.

The male has a dark body and wings with a transparent portion of the hindwing.

Female Forewing Range: 35–42 mm (

Male Forewing Range: 21–25 mm (

Diet and Habitat Larva of this species eat Acacia erioloba, A. tortilis, A. melifera, Burkea africana, Brachystegia spp., and Prosopis glandulosa. The larva will feed from the same tree it’s entire life unless there are two many other caterpillars. When there is a large number of caterpillars, they may defoliate the whole tree and the larva must move in order to not starve.

This moth mainly inhabits savannas with many Acacia trees, especially in drier areas. These moths contribute to the Acacia environment by providing food to predators and nutrients to plants through feces. Cocoons are usually found on Acacia tees.

Mating Males detect females’ mating pheromones with their antennae. Males fly to the females because the females are weighed down by the eggs. The female contains about 200 eggs which are laid on the food plant after fertilization. Eggs hatch in about two weeks. Eggs are laid in clumps and the newly hatched caterpillars grow as a group and become more solitary with time.

Predators This moth is preyed on by parasitic wasps and flies. These insects lay their eggs on the caterpillar and feed off of its resources until the moth larva cocoons. The parasites live off the cocoon and grow to adulthood while killing the pupa. Specifically, these larva are subject to parasitism by Diptera and Hymenoptera, the most common parasitoids being Palexorista species from the Tachinidae and Goryphus species from the Ichneumonidae.[6]

To combat external predators and weather, the caterpillars build a tough cocoon. Caterpillars and their cocoons are also covered in stinging hairs to deter predators from touching them. Female cocoons are larger than male cocoons.

Fun Fact In Madagascar, wild silk has been harvested for centuries, and this knowledge has been introduced to southern Africa. The cocoons are harvested commercially in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and South Africa, and the species also occurs in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. They are difficult to harvest due to the cocoons being covered in calcium oxalate. Oxford University discovered and patented a method known as demineralizing using a warm solution of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) that soften the cocoons by dissolving the sericin. This lets the silk unravel without weakening it.

- Wild African silk moth cocoons are also used as ankle rattles in southern Africa by San and Bantu tribes. They are filled with materials such as fine gravel, seeds, glass beads, broken sea shells, or pieces of ostrich eggshell.

- Furthermore, the cocoons have long been known to cause the death of cattle, antelope and other ruminants in the Kalahari. During drought periods, the cocoons are eaten, probably because they resemble acacia pods. The silk is indigestible and blocks the rumen of multiple-stomach animals, causing starvation.

- Finally, the protein found in this species’s slik contains many basic amino acids making it a potentially useful biomaterial in cell and tissue culture.

(Source: Wikipedia, SANBI)

Moth of the Week

Antler Moth

Cerapteryx graminis

The antler moth is a part of the family Noctuidae. It was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. This moth gets its name from the antler shaped mark in its forewings.

Description This moth species has brown forewings, with a “basal streak” of white that branches out. This mark may vary in size per moth. The forewings show a mirrored pattern of the base brown broken up by the branches and a few spots and lines of lighter brown. The forewing also may or may not have black streaks. The hindwing is dark brown with a white fringe.

Males are smaller than females with fluffier antennae.

Male Wingspan: 27 - 32mm (≈1.06 - 1.26in)

Female Wingspan: 35 - 39mm (≈1.38 - 1.53in)

Diet and Habitat The larva of this species feeds on grasses such as Deschampsia, Sheep’s-fescue (Festuca ovina), Mat-grass (Nardus stricta) and Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea). It has also been found on sedges and rushes. When the larva population is concentrated enough, they can damage pastures. Adults feed on flowers such as thistles and ragworts.

This species is common through most of Europe. It’s northernmost reach is Iceland and above the Arctic Circle. It’s easternmost reach is Siberia and North Mongolia. This moth does not occur in the dry southern regions of Europe. It has been introduced to North America. Additionally, this species inhabits the Alps. They prefer habitats of grassland, favouring acid upland pasture, moorland and downland.

Mating Adult moths are seen flying from July to September. They presumably mate in this time frame.

Predators This moth flies during the day, especially in the north, warm weather, and early mornings, and at night. They are presumably preyed on by both daytime and night time predators like birds and bats. They are attracted to light. To protect themselves during the day, this moth hides in the grass.

Fun Fact The antler moth rises to an altitude of 2100 meters in the Alps.

(Source: Wikipedia, Butterfly Conservation)

Moth of the Week

Kentish Glory

Endromis versicolora

The Kentish glory was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. It is a part of the family Endromidae which was created in 1810 by Ferdinand Ochsenheimer. This is a monotypic genus, meaning there is only one species in it being the Kentish glory.

Description The male and female of this species are clearly told apart by their colors and size.

Males are darker and more orange than females with feathery antennae

Males hindwings are orange

Females are paler/more washed out in color and larger to carry eggs

The forewings of this moth are a marbled black, orange, and white. The outer edge of the wing called the outer margin is brown with white stripes along the veins. The females hindwings are the same marbled black, brown, and white with a brown edge. The males hindwings are orange with brown markings.

The legs and antennae are black while the thorax is brown and white. The females abdomen is black while the males abdomen is a similar orange to the hindwing.

Sources differ on wingspan range.

Wikipedia: 50 - 70 mm (≈1.97 - 2.76 in)

Butterfly Conservation: Male 27 - 30 mm (≈1.06 - 1.18 in), Female 34 - 39 mm (≈1.34 - 1.54 in)

Diet and Habitat The larvae of this species eats mainly birch (Betula species) but will eat other trees and shrubs such as Alnus, Corylus, Tilia and Carpinus species. Adults do not feed.

This moth’s range used to be much larger, such as living in the southern and western English counties of Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, East Anglia, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire and the southeastern Welsh county of Monmouthsire.

Now this moth is restricted to living in the central and eastern Highlands of Scotland. It is seen in the Scottish counties of Perthshire, Inverness-shire, Morayshire, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.

They prefer to inhabit open birch woodland and lightly wooded moorland.

Mating Females use pheromones to attract males, who can detect them from 1-2 km (≈0.62 - 1.24 mi) away.

This species has one single generation per year. The females lay their eggs, which are yellow at first then purplish-brown, in batches of 10-20 eggs on low birch scrub at an average height of 1.2m (≈1.31 yd). They prefer to let them on sheltered, unshaded saplings, usually the first few batches are near where the females emerged. The eggs hatch after 10 to 14 days.

Predators Males usually fly during the day from mid morning to early afternoon while females fly at dusk. Because of this males are presumably preyed on by daytime birds while females are preyed on by bats.

Fun Fact The females do not fly as strong as males due to the eggs they carry as it weighs them down. Females tend to lay their first few batches of eggs close to where they emerged due to this fact.

(Source: Butterfly Conservation, Wikipedia, Rothiemurchus)

Moth of the Week

Latticed Heath

Chiasmia clathrata

The lattice heath is a part of the family Geometridae, first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. Linnaeus however described this moth under the name Phalaena clathrata. This was later changed by Eugen Wehril in 1949 to Semiothisa clathrata tschangkuensis. Then, Malcolm J. Scoble proved it was not in the genus Semiothisa as the Semiothisa species are found only in the Americas. Molecular work has confirmed the this species within the Chiasmia genus.

Description Both the forewings and hindwings are the same color, which can vary from yellow to white depending on the moth. The veins of the wings are traced out in brown and criss crossed by several larger uneven brown lines. This is where the species got its common name “latticed.” The lines vary in thickness to the point some moths’ wings a more almost entirely brown. Close to the edges of the wings are several small brown spots and a brown and white edge on what is called the “outer margin.”

The body and antennae are mottled to match the wings.

Wingspan Range: 20 - 25 mm (≈0.79 - 0.98 in)

Diet and Habitat The larvea of this moth eat hedge bedstraw, yellow bedstraw, clovers, trefoils, lucerne, meadow vetchling, and other legumes. Adult moths do not feed.

This moth is found through Europe and ranges south to the Near East and North Africa and east through Russia, Siberia, northern Iran, Kazakhstan, China, and Korea to Japan. It is very common in the British Isles. It prefers open area habitats such as grassland, moorland, and waste ground.

Mating This species has one to two generations per year in the British Isles. The pupa overwinter and Amadults emerge in May to September.

Predators This moth species is binaural, meaning they fly during the day. However, they are attached to artificial light and can be seen flying at night for these lights. Because of this it is presumable that they are preyed on by birds and bats, two common predators of moths.

Fun Fact This moth has 4 subspecies: Chiasmia clathrata clathrata (Linné), Chiasmia clathrata centralasiae (Krulikowski, 1911), Chiasmia clathrata djakonovi (Kardakoff, 1928), Chiasmia clathrata kurilata (Bryk, 1942).

(Source: Wikipedia)

The quality isn't very good but here's a caseworm moth catterpillar I found in my house

The dark part at the bottom is his head :)

Hi! So sorry for the late reply

Fascinating! I tried to look up the caseworm moth to share some facts, but I only found the household casebearer moth. I’m curious: are they different names for the same moth or different moths? Please let me know if you can :]

Moth of the Week

Macrocilix maia Moth

Macrocilix maia

The Macrocilix maia moth is a part of the family Drepanidae. It was first described in 1888 by John Henry Leech as a part of the genus Argyri. It has no recognized common name and is mainly called by its scientific name.

Description

The forewings and hindwings are a matching cream color and slightly translucent. The main attraction of the wings are two mirror images of a fly, one on each forewing. The body of the “fly” is black with red eyes/head and a white accent in the middle of its abdomen. They are outlined in amber and black with amber specks on the outer edge of the forewing called the outer margin. The hindwings have an amber splotch on the innermost edge, called the inner margin, that transitions to black and white as it reaches the corner. This is meant to look like a bird dropping that the flies are eating.

The body is a matching amber/dark brown as the bird dropping to blend in. The antennae are cream.

Wingspan Range: 3.7 - 4.5 cm (≈1.46 - 1.77 in)

Diet and Habitat This moth mainly, feeds on the Chinese Cork Oak as larva and do not feed as adults.

They are found around Asia in Borneo, China, India, Japan, Korea, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Taiwan. This moth prefers habitats like forests and jungles.

Mating The eggs are laid close to the host plant and adults are emerge in May. Mating season is presumably around this time.

Predators This moth is most recognizable by its use of mimicry. It’s wings resemble flies eating bird droppings to make it appear unappealing to predators. It also gives off a bad smell to further sell the act.

Fun Fact The type of camouflage this moths uses is called Batesian mimicry. Named after Henry Walter Bates, Batesian mimicry is when a palatable animal, or one without toxins or poison, evolves to look like an unpalatable/undesirable animal to protect itself from predators.

(Source: Wikipedia, Moth Identification)