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Light Ermine Moth does thanatosis
Ardices canescens
-37.8933, 145.314
Field Notes
Description:
A severe case of thanatosis. <br> These clean looking moths make it simple to get underneath shots by remaining completely still for up to a minute if upturned. <br> About 40mm long, mostly white with many dark spots and a striking flash of vermilion around the thorax.
Habitat:
Attracted to powerful night lights above a car at a national park.
Notes:
One of the few species I have found whose larvae can feed on Tradescantia which has become a noxious weed around here. Useful insect. <br> Formerly included in Spilosoma, but later generic status of Ardices was proved. The larvae are polyphagous <br>
family: ARCTIIDAE <br>
subfamily: ARCTIINAE <br>
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:5b… <br>
Species ID Suggestions
Spotted for Missions
Photographed
PublishedOctober 25, 2014
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