An Owl Moth’s Origin
This rearing caterpillar will eventually transform into an owl moth – which gets its name from the brown, tan, and black pattern on the wings of the adult moth because they resemble owl feathers.
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DownloadAn Owl Moth’s Origin
This rearing caterpillar will eventually transform into an owl moth – which gets its name from the brown, tan, and black pattern on the wings of the adult moth because they resemble owl feathers.
What am I looking at?
This is the caterpillar of a Hearsey’s owl moth (Brahmaea hearseyi) as it rears up to make itself look bigger and display its eyespots to potential predators. You can see its head (1) curled downward, and its segmented true legs tucked under its head (2). Its fleshy prolegs, each terminating in a row of hooks called crochets (3), are very prominent in this species.
Click on the right arrow to see what the adult moth looks like.
Biology in the background
These moths live throughout Asia. The caterpillars generally feed on privet and lilac bushes and ash trees. Unlike many other species of large moths, owl moths do feed as adults, mainly eating nectar from flowers. This contact with flowers makes them important pollinators in the forests they inhabit.
An owl moth caterpillar can grow up to 60 millimeters long, or roughly three times larger than a human thumbnail. The adult moths can have a wingspan of up to 20 centimeters, or about 7.5 inches.
Technique
These images were created using macrophotography.
TagsIgor Siwanowicz, HHMI's Janelia Research Campus