#utetheisa

Crimson Speckled Footman Moth (Utetheisa pulchella), family Erebidae, Portugal

Diurnal Moth.

A collection of insects found on a walk.

You don’t always need to go into the wilderness to find bugs, sometimes they’re simply sitting on the wall.

Utetheisa aegrotum (1st, large moth) Crocidosema plebejana (2nd, small moth) Unknown, Lauxaniidae (3rd, fly) Unknown, Conocephalus (4th, katydid)

Crimson Speckled Footman Moth (Utetheisa pulchella), family Erebidae, Andalucia, Spain

Crimson Speckled Flunkey Moth (Utetheisa pulchella), family Erebidae, Indonesia

I've covered the two Utetheisa species most commonly seen in Australia before, but here's the caterpillar of one of them. Crotalaria plants are just one of the genera they eat, and are the reason the moths are called Rattlebox Moths, or in the case of U. lotrix the Crotalaria Moth, but the diet can be much wider. And still quite poisonous - the various species of rattlebox moths sequester alkaloids to protect themselves, and the males even use the poison in their pheremones, presumably to advertise how much they could tolerate as larvae.

At least some of the species migrate long distances, giving them native ranges that include remote islands.

Does anyone know where I can find more information on the Crotalaria/S&P Moth? I need more details on basic anatomy (specifically mouthparts), eggs/reproduction, food sources (obviously they feast on Crotalaria, but do they enjoy Heliotropes like their similars??), associations, length of life, control options, so on and so forth. The info I’ve found so far is limited and I don’t currently have access to a library. If I can’t find enough info I’ll need to choose a different insect for my presentation. :( Please let me know!

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