#pyrausta

photograph by Nash Turley

(Orange Mint Moth, Pyrausta orphisalis)

The origin of pop culture's draconic depiction was Una Woodruff's "Inventorum Natura" and its account attributed to Pliny. An account that in truth was purely Woodruff's work of fiction.

Larvausta have an exoskeleton that is highly resistant to heat and as a means of defending themselves will ignite their surroundings and dwell within the resultant blaze. Although they will typically eat the charcoal they prouduce, they do need to leave their fire to substitute this diet with fresh, living plant matter. Raustoon are encased almost totally in their heat resistant shell with only small vents visible through these plates. Although tough and difficult to threaten they use these vents to release pent up energy as a defensive explosion; capable of launching them from danger in the same action that decimated their original launch site. Rallirausta are often mistaken for dragons, their overall shape and fire-breathing abilities an obvious similarity. Their tiny stature for something so dangerously powerful belies their insectile nature and luckily they'd rather mind their own business tending to their flaming nest sites than cause a ruckus like so many dragons. --Attack Info-- --Ability Info--

It is known for stealing objects and hiding them away for long periods, before returning them exactly where they found them. Its long tongue and limbs are extremely sticky and can stretch out to grab prey flying through the air.

Some very nice friends! RIP to the beetle snack but that spider's gotta eat. The moth looks like a crambid moth, possibly a mint moth in Pyrausta. The spidie looks like a cobweb spider in Theridiidae, probably a common house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum :)

This beautiful moth from North America has been recently introduced to Japan.

Suggest a spook.