Moths of
the Amazon and Andes
Ruby-bodied Clear-tip
Bertholdia philotera
Family - ARCTIIDAE
subfamily -
ARCTIINAE
Tribe -
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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 |
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Bertholdia philotera,
Manu cloudforest, 1400m, Peru |
Introduction
Moths in the genus
Bertholdia
are characterised by having ruby coloured abdomens, and dark forewings with a
large area devoid of scales near the apex. The impression is of a piece of
decaying brown leaf that has had the cuticle eaten away by insects to reveal the
clear membrane beneath.
Habitats
This
species occurs in rainforest and cloudforest habitats at elevations between
about 200-1800m, on the eastern slopes of the Andes and the upper Amazon basin.
Lifecycle
To
be completed.
Adult behaviour
Nocturnal moths are commonly preyed
upon by bats, which project a series of ultrasound clicks, and listen to their
echoes in order to locate flying moths. Many moths have developed "ears" on
their wings or thorax which can alert them to approaching bats, enabling them to
take evasive action. Moths in the genus Bertholdia
go a stage further - they actively jam the bats "radar" by producing their own
ultrasound, by vibrating a tympanal organ located on the metathorax.
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