The Eyes (sic) have it

[Painted Jezebel]

This could be another one for you Roger. I'm sorry, I'm not looking for them, I promise you. This one literally just stared back at me, and I could not miss it. I'm sure you will correct me if I'm wrong, but does this belong to the Notodontidae?

Les

[hkmoths]

Hi Les,

Not a notodontid, but one of the more striking tropical noctuids.

This is Eudocima phalonia (syn. Othreis fullonia).

Noctuidae, Catocalinae (in the older sense of Noctuidae)

cheers,

Roger.

[Painted Jezebel]

Thanks very much, Roger. I never would have guessed a Catocalid. The larva seems so different from the ones I'm used to in Europe. The reason I suggested a Notodontid, is that its behaviour seemed closer to the Prominents or Lobster Moth. I've done an internet search, and, yes, it is a very striking moth, extremely widespread too. I take it, from its English name, Fruit Piercing Moth, that it is a pest all over the tropics?

One further question, I had previously come across a similar larva, but it was reddish, as opposed to black, and I can not remember if it had eyespots or not, but the behaviour was the same. A different species or earlier/later instar?

Les

[hkmoths]

...... I take it, from its English name, Fruit Piercing Moth, that it is a pest all over the tropics?

One further question, I had previously come across a similar larva, but it was reddish, as opposed to black, and I can not remember if it had eyespots or not, but the behaviour was the same. A different species or earlier/later instar?

Les

Hi Les,

The adults are considered a pest in some fruit orchards, where they suck the juice from inside the fruit, which provides a pathway for fungal entry and subsequent spoiling of the fruit.

There are at least three colour forms of the larvae. Definitely polymorphic.

cheers,

Roger.

[Painted Jezebel]

Ah! Thank you.

Les