8 types of moths that look exactly like butterflies (can’t tell them apart)

1. Epicopeiidae

A large moth, shaped like a swallowtail butterfly, with a tail-like protrusion on the hind wing, shaped like a streamer, black with red and white markings, quite beautiful. This family is only distributed in Southeast Asia, with only one genus and less than 10 species, most of which are found in my country. When disturbed, the adult insect can secrete a yellow mucus behind its head for protection. The body wall of the larvae is densely covered with wax glands, which can discharge white powder or become white wax threads.

The margins are well developed, the antennae are double-cactinate, the forefoot tibiae have one spur, the middle tibiae have one pair of middle spurs, and the hind tibiae have two pairs of spurs; the middle chamber of the forewing has a forked vein running across the center; the hindwing has a sub-spur. The marginal veins are particularly extended, forming a tail band with the first and second radial veins; the wing stiffness is developed or underdeveloped.

2. Tassel-winged moth

Pterothysanus lacticilia lanaris Butler

Most of the head and abdomen are orange-red, with some irregular black spots on the abdomen and back; most of the chest is black; the bottom of the wings is gray-black with white spots, and the white spots vary more or less. There is sometimes a row of pink dots outside the wings, but there are changes in each specimen, which is consistent with Gender has nothing to do with it.

Distribution: Yunnan (Xishuangbanna); Myanmar, India.

3. Blue-purple moth

Cyclosia midamia Herrich-Schaffer

The wingspan is 62 mm for males and 77 mm for females. Males and females are similar, with blue-purple flashes on the antennae and the upper side of the body, and white spots on the lower part and both sides. The wings are brown and black with many small white spots, and the tops of the wings are blue. Male moths often have white stripes on their hind wings, while female moths rarely have white stripes on their hind wings. The forewings sometimes have stripes, the abdomen is blue-brown, and there are a pair of stripes on both sides of the abdominal segments and on the ventral surface. White spots. Adults appear in mid-July in Guangxi and September in Yunnan.

Distribution: Guangxi, Yunnan; India, Sikkim, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.

4. Masson pine spotted moth (alias: Masson pine spotted moth)

Campylotes desgodinsi Oberthur

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Wingspan 72 mm. The head, chest and abdomen are blue-black, with a yellow band under the abdomen. The forewings are blue-black, with two long red bands below the front edge, three yellow lines on the lower side of the middle chamber, a red spot between the Cu1 and Cu2 veins, and a white spot and six white spots at the end of the middle chamber. The hind wings are blue and black, with a red band along the front edge, two red spots and four red and yellow spots in the middle chamber, and five red and yellow spots below the middle chamber. Larvae damage masson pine needles.

Distribution: Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet; India.

5. White butterfly enemy moth

Thuria dividi Oberthur

Wingspan 5l mm. It looks like a white butterfly, with white and black veins; there is an orange-yellow band on the front edge of the forewing, with black dots in between, and three black lines extending to the middle chamber. The outer edge is a broad black band, with an orange-yellow tooth in the middle, and three black dots in front. ; The outer edge of the hind wing is a wide black band with an orange-yellow crescent shape in the middle.

Distribution: Tibet, Sichuan.

6. Pieridae lantern moth

Nyctemera plagifera Walker

Wingspan 44-56 mm. The head is yellow, the neck plate is yellow, there is one black spot on each section of the forehead, top of the head, neck plate, shoulder angle, and chest, and there are 2 black spots on the wing bases; the abdomen is white, the ends are yellow, and the back and sides have rows of black spots; the forewings are white , the wing veins are dark brown, there is a dark brown horizontal stripe in the middle of the middle chamber, a dark brown spot at the end of the middle chamber, there are dark brown stripes from the base of the Cu2 vein to the top of the trailing edge, and there are dark brown spots from the end of the Sc vein to the Cu2 vein. There is a dark brown spot above the hip angle, and the hairs from the hip angle to the top edge of the wings are dark brown; the hind wings are white, there is a dark brown spot at the lower corner of the middle chamber, and 4-5 dark brown spots on the subterminal line.

Host: citrus, dog tongue grass, Asteraceae, fig.

Distribution: Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, Taiwan; Japan, India.

7. Deer colored tiger moth

Episteme adulatrix Kollar

Body length 26-29 mm; wingspan 67-74 mm. The head and chest are black, and there are 1 white spot on the first and second segments of the lower lip, both sides of the forehead and the base of the antennae; the back of the compound eyes is lined with white, there is 1 white spot on the top of the head, and there are pink and yellow spots on the neck plate, wing base and prothorax; The abdomen is orange-red. The base of the back is black, and the remaining segments have black horizontal stripes; the forewings are black, with two rows of pink-blue spots at the base, connected at the rear edge, a small bright yellow spot at the base of the middle chamber, a large bright yellow spot in the middle, and then a large square spot of the same color. , there are two groups of rectangular yellow spots in the front half of the outer area, and a row of white spots in the subend area. The hind wings are black, with a row of blue and white spots in the subterminal area, and two orange red spots behind the second vein.

Distribution: Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan; India, Myanmar, Nepal, etc.

8. Imitation Shuli lamp moth

Callimorpha equitalis Kollar

Wingspan 64-86 mm. The background color of this species is lighter, the forewing flash is not obvious, the spots are white and larger, only the spots at the base and front edge are slightly yellow; the hind wings are white, the wing veins are dark brown, and the dark brown stripes are lighter.

Distribution: Sichuan, Yunnan; Sikkim, India, Myanmar, etc.

animal tags： moth butterfly appearance