Kingdom Animalia Family Noctuidae Scientific name Calyptra minuticornis Rank Species | Class Insecta Genus Calyptra Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Calyptra, Butterflies and moths, Oraesia emarginata, Artena dotata, Ericeia inangulata | ||
The Vampire moth, (Calyptra minuticornis), is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It has been found in Indonesia, Java, India, and Sri Lanka.
Description
Wingspan about 50mm. Antennae of male minutely ciliated. Fore wings with rounded outer margin. Head and thorax pale reddish brown and thickly irrorated with grey. Abdomen pale fuscous. Fore wings with pale red-brown with a silvery sheen and numerous fine pale striae. There are traces of sub-basal, antemedial, and medial oblique line present. A rufous line runs from apex to inner margin beyond middle. A series of submarginal specks present. Hind wings pale fuscous and cilia whitish. Larva olive-grey with a sub-dorsal series of black-bordered yellow spots. A sub-lateral series of specks enclosed from fourth somite by a pinkish bordered black line. Head ochreous, with paired lateral black spots. Legs pale pink.
Caterpillar feeds on Stephania japonica, Cissampelos, Cocculus, Cyclea species. It pupates in a cocoon in between joined dead leaves in ground debris. Adult is a fruit-piercer and also observed to pierce skins of buffalo, zebu, tapir and even humans in labs to suck blood.