Erebus caprimulgus
Latin. Scientific
name of a species of large and robustly
built moth, with a wingspan of around 12 centimeters and endemic to Southeast Asia. It belongs to the family of Noctuidae, i.e. owlet moths. In the larvae stage, this
fruit piercing moth feeds on
longkong
and citrus, such as
pomelo. Above, the wings are dark brown, with
some diffuse black makings, as well as two large –yet obscure– eye spots, one on each of the forewings,
while near the apex of each of the four wings of females there is a whitish to pale
cream band, which is thin and wavy on the forewings and broad and rather straight on the hindwings,
yet the latter is crisscrossed with a thin and wavy brown line. Erebus caprimulgus is nocturnal and during the day, adult moths rest on shaded tree trunks on rock faces, with the
wings held flat. The ocelli, in combination with the colouration and markings of
the wings above, are reminiscent to an owl's face, which can be seen in the Thai
name, i.e. mot tah nok hook kheed khao (มอธตานกฮูกขีดขาว), literally
‘white-crossed owl's eyes moth’.
Males are larger than females and darker on the upper-side, which never has pale
cream markings, though those are present on the underside, irregular and
resembling those of the female.
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