Skip to main content
Today is World Environment Day!
Close

Burrito Moth

Datana sp.

Photo by MrsPbio
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

29.1112, -82.015

Field Notes

Description:

About 1.5 inches long- female I think . Video shows it rapidly fluttering its wings, which produced a very strong smell... Pheromones? We could smell it from at least 6 feet away.. And it wasn't very pleasant.

Habitat:

Front porch, Sandhills habitat, Ocala,Flda.

Notes:

I've never smelled anything quite like that before.. phew! :P Not sure if it was mating pheromones or a defense mechanism. If it was mating, I can't imagine what a male moth would find sexy in that smell..... eww.

Species ID Suggestions

Burrito Moth

Datana sp.

Reference Link
Jacob Gorneau
2

Comments (1)
Jacob Gorneau
Members of the genus Datana are nearly impossible to identify, and are easier to distinguish as larva. I've never heard of an interesting smell being produced by moths in this genus, but I do know some moths in the Cossidae family are also known as goat moths due to their pungent smell. Here is an example of a moth in the Cossidae family: https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/30129002

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Moths of the World
Photographed
PublishedAugust 21, 2013

Community Sponsor

Butterfly
Become a Community Sponsor and Help Grow our Global Movement!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Butterflies icon
Become a Community Sponsor

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon

Nature & Conservation Organizations

Brands & Mission-Focused Companies