Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Noctuoidea Phylum Arthropoda Rank Species | Class Insecta Family Erebidae Genus Aloa Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Aloa, Butterflies and moths, Creatonotos transiens, Creatonotos, Creatonotos gangis | ||
White winged red costa tiger moth aloa lactinea waiting to lay eggs
Aloa laetata (red costate tiger moth) is a moth of family Erebidae. It is found in India, Japan, southern and western China, Taiwan, Java, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Burma and the Philippines.
Contents
Description
Wingspan is about 40mm long. Abdomen yellow colored. Antennae black with the scarlet basal joint. Palpi scarlet at sides, white below, the terminal joint black. Head white with a crimson line behind it. Thorax white. Wings primarily white. Fore wings with a scarlet fascia along the costa. Red markings are with a deep crimson tone. The band on head is broader. A black speck at each angle of cell present, but some absent. Hind wings with a black spot at end of cell and a sub-marginal series of four, the two towards anal angle sometimes absent. Larva black with lateral tufts of reddish-brown hair. A sub-dorsal series of scarlet spots present. Dorsal, sub-dorsal, and lateral series of black spots also present. Somites 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th with sub-lateral spots. 11th somite with two spots only.
Ecology
The species is found in primary and secondary habitats ranging from the lowlands to montane regions. It is a minor pest, caterpillar feeds on castor, coffee, jute, groundnut, teak, ragi, sunflower, maize, sweetpotato, and beans.