Not all moths are dusty grey or dull ecru . Take , for representative , the rosy maple moth , that rock an incredible jazz band of colour that make it face like a super - charged flying marshmallow .
Therosy maple moth(Dryocampa rubicunda ) is a metal money within the Saturniidae family , which curb some of the largest coinage of moths in the world including regal moths , emperor moth , and giant silk moths . However , they are the modest of the whole family line , with a wingspan of 3.2 to 4.4 centimeters ( 1.25 - 1.75 inches ) .
Where to find rosy maple moth
Rosy maple moths are native of North American deciduous woods , with a range that stretch along the eastern half of the US and nearby realm of southerly Canada . Their name get from their preference for maple trees – if you want to charm a glance of one in the natural state , then your best wager is to look for these trees .
Their stand - out feature is their pinkish and chickenhearted coloration , which earns them the sobriquet “ milkshake moth . ” The vibrancy of the colour can vary between somebody , with some almost come out hot pink and neon chicken , while others just come out creamy white with some soft pink markings .
Why are rosy maple moths so brightly colored?
The colour does n’t camouflage them very well in the woodland surroundings , but many specie of mothhave evolved bright colorationto deter predators . It ’s basically a giant flash warning sign saying “ WARNING ! DON’T EAT ! risk ! ”
This defense mechanism is known as aposematism . Many predators know to fend off bright colors as they could point the fair game is toxic . While rose-colored maple moths do n’t have any venom , a hungry bird wo n’t know that .
Rosy maple moth caterpillar: green-striped mapleworms
Their color is n’t their only foreign feature of speech . Just like other species in theSaturniidaesilk moth family , grownup rose-colored maple moths do n’t have mouths or digestive system , so they ca n’t use up . Since they only live for 2 to 9 months , they simply last off the vitality stored from when they were caterpillars .
The cat of rosy maple moths are known asgreen - striped maplewormsand they look evenhandedly invisible , with a low-cal green body and a red-faced point .
They remain cat for a few workweek , overeat on as much food as potential , before accede the pupal stage from which they emerge in their final frame : a brilliantly colorful moth .
The color of rosy maple moths can vary between individuals.Image credit: asmithnature/Shutterstock.com
