Williams' Tiger Moth

Apantesis williamsii

The Williams' Tiger Moth is a beautiful insect with striking orange and black markings. It flutters around at night and is often seen near lights, making it a delightful sight for those who spot it.

Lebensraum: Grasslands

Aussehen

The Williams' Tiger Moth has striking black forewings marked with bold white or creamy streaks. Its hindwings are a vibrant orange with distinct black spots or bands, making it easily distinguishable. The body is fuzzy and often dark with some orange markings.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungLepidopteraFamilieErebidaeGattungApantesis

Williams' Tiger Moth

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Adult Williams' Tiger Moths only live about two weeks, focusing on finding a mate!

Its fuzzy caterpillar is sometimes called a 'woolly bear,' even though it's not a bear!

These moths are drawn to bright lights at night, which helps scientists spot them!

They don't eat as adults; they survive on energy stored from their caterpillar days!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Williams' Tiger Moth has vivid orange and black patterns that warn predators of its unpleasant taste, helping them avoid being eaten.

Williams' Tiger Moth can release foul-tasting chemicals when threatened, because these deter predators who try to eat them.

Williams' Tiger Moth caterpillars have bristly hairs that make them look unappetizing to predators, helping them stay safe while they munch.

Williams' Tiger Moth can fly efficiently in the dark of night, because this helps them find mates and food sources under cover.

Maße und Details

Flügelspannweite: 30-45 mm
Größe: 15-25 mm
Lebenserwartung: 7-14 Tage
Fluggeschwindigkeit: 10 km/h
Anzahl der Beine: 6

Ernährung und Fütterung

Caterpillars munch on plants, while adult moths usually don't eat at all!

Altersunterschiede: Larvae (caterpillars) are voracious plant-eaters, but adult moths typically do not feed.

Hauptnahrung

Taraxacum officinale
Plantago major
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Poa pratensis
Trifolium repens

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Little Brown Bat

Myotis lucifugus

Little Brown Bats are nocturnal predators that hunt adult moths using echolocation.

eaten by

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Blue Jays are opportunistic feeders and might prey on caterpillars or moths.

eats

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

The caterpillars feed on the leaves of dandelions.

eats

Common Plantain

Plantago major

Its caterpillars also find food in the leaves of common plantain.

Merkmale

Pelzig

Pelzig beschreibt Tiere, die eine dichte Schicht aus weichen Haaren oder Fell besitzen.

Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger leben den größten Teil ihres Lebens allein und interagieren mit Artgenossen nur zur Paarung oder zur Aufzucht der Jungen.

Farbenfroh

Farbenfroh beschreibt Organismen oder Objekte, die eine große Vielfalt an leuchtenden und deutlich erkennbaren Farben aufweisen.

Grasland

Grasland-Lebensräume sind terrestrische Biome, die von Gräsern und krautigen Pflanzen dominiert werden und einer Vielzahl von Weidetieren als Lebensraum dienen.