# Police Car Moth (*Gnophaela vermiculata*) The Police Car Moth is a special insect that looks like a tiny police car! It has bright colors and patterns that help it blend in with its surroundings. This moth is fun to spot while exploring nature. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Police Car Moth](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gnophaela_vermiculata_Hymenoxys_hoopesii.jpg&width=800) Photo: JerryFriedman, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gnophaela_vermiculata_Hymenoxys_hoopesii.jpg) ## Appearance The Police Car Moth has striking black and white striped forewings that resemble a police car's pattern. Its head and thorax often display bright orange or red, contrasting with its dark body. The hindwings are typically yellow or orange with a distinct black border. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Erebidae - **Genus:** Gnophaela ## Interesting facts - Even though it's a moth, it loves to fly around in the sunshine, not just at night! - It belongs to a family of moths called 'tiger moths,' famous for bold patterns and defensive toxins. - Its caterpillars are fuzzy and colorful, often striped orange and black, eating toxic plants. - The chemicals it collects from its food can even protect its eggs from being eaten! ## Special abilities - **Toxic Warning Stripes:** Police Car Moth can warn predators with its bright colors because it stores toxins from its food, making it taste bad. - **Daylight Patrol:** Police Car Moth can fly during the day because it adapted to a diurnal lifestyle, helping it find specific host plants in sunlight. - **Chemical Defense Shield:** Police Car Moth has special chemicals that protect it from predators because it absorbs poisons from the ragwort plants it eats. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 35-50 mm - **Size:** 15-25 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-20 days - **Flight Speed:** 8 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Caterpillars eat toxic plants, while adults might sip nectar, or not feed. - **Age differences:** Larvae feed on specific toxic plants; adults primarily sip nectar or do not feed. - **Primary Foods:** Senecio jacobaea, Senecio triangularis, Packera aurea - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Tansy Ragwort (*Senecio jacobaea*) — Caterpillars feed on its toxic leaves. - **Eaten by:** [Steller's Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stellers-jay) (*Cyanocitta stelleri*) — Birds might try to eat but quickly learn of its toxins. - **Pollinates:** Common Yarrow (*Achillea millefolium*) — Adults may visit flowers for nectar, aiding pollination. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch insects, as some can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Police Car Moth? Compare resting wing shape, forewing markings, antennae and body build. Small brown moths can hinge on fine details a phone photo can't always catch. Moth Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Police Car Moth's wingspan? 35-50 mm ### How big is Police Car Moth? 15-25 mm ### How long does Police Car Moth live? 7-20 days ### How fast can Police Car Moth fly? 8 km/h ### What does Police Car Moth eat? Caterpillars eat toxic plants, while adults might sip nectar, or not feed. ### Where is Police Car Moth usually found? Forests ### How does Police Car Moth hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Cut Bank Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cut-bank-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site - [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Clatsop State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clatsop-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest - [Johnson Lake Mine Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/johnson-lake-mine-historic-district) — Nevada, US · Historic District - [Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/laurance-s-rockefeller-preserve) — Wyoming, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Police Car Moth](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/police-car-moth) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Police Car Moth: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/police-car-moth)