Black & White Tiger Moth S4, Male, Abdomen, profile | Double Yellow-patched Footman Male, dorsal | |||||
Class: | Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) | ||||
Order: | Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera) | ||||
Family: | Tiger Moth (:Noctuoidea Erebidae) | ||||
Species: | Black & White Tiger Moth (Spilosoma glatignyi) | ||||
This Photo: | S4, Male, ventral | ||||
Other names: | Black and White Tiger Moth or Woollybear Caterpillar | ||||
General Species Information: Found in the Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains and possibly elsewhere ~21mm body & head length, ~55mm wingspan. This is one of those species that "plays dead" very well. A spectacular moth with bright orange upper-body, legs & highlights. The upper-body orange is interrupted with a transverse black line/blotch on each segment; with a white tail tuft. The wings are black or brown & white, with varying patterns. The under body is white with 5 dashed black longitudinal lines/blotches. Males & females are very difficult to separate. While females are generally larger, this is not always so (both male & female specimens shown here have the same wingspan, with the male having a slightly longer body). They both have bipectinate antennae. The male pectinations, however, are slightly longer. Of the few ventral photo's we can find, the females are missing a front, central black blotch as well. This could be a random colour variation, like the wings. We would be keen on hearing from anyone that can link/send ventral photo's of females with all the black blotches to us | |||||
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