Brahmaea wallichii

Species of moth

Brahmaea wallichii

Subspecies B. w. insulata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Lepidoptera
Family:  | Brahmaeidae
Genus:  | Brahmaea
Species:  |

B. wallichii

Binomial name
Brahmaea wallichii

Gray, 1831[1]

Synonyms

* Bombyx wallichii Gray, 1831
* Brahmaea conchifera Butler, 1880[2]
* Brahmophthalma wallichii

Brahmaea wallichii, also known as the owl moth, is a moth from the family Brahmaeidae, the Brahmin moths, and one of its largest species. It is found in the north of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The owl moth is nocturnal.[3] The wingspan is about 90–160 millimetres (3+1⁄2–6+1⁄4 inches).[4]

## Appearance

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The moth has well-developed eye spots on the front wings and a characteristic pattern of black-brown stripes. The light-brown margins of the back wings display small triangular white spots. The robust body is also black and brown, with characteristic orange-brown stripes.[4]

## Etymology

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The species is named after the botanist Nathaniel Wallich.

## Behavior

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The larvae feed on Fraxinus excelsior, Ligustrum and common lilac. In captivity they also feed on elderberry.[4] They are able to neutralize plant toxins produced by Ligustrum.[5]

The moths are active at night; during the daytime, they rest with outspread wings on tree trunks or on the ground. When disturbed, the moth does not fly away, but fiercely shakes.[4]

Mounted pair

## Habitat

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The habitat is both tropical and temperate forests.[4]

## Subspecies

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* Brahmaea wallichii wallichii
* Brahmaea wallichii insulata Inoue, 1984 (Taiwan)
* Brahmaea wallichii saifulica de Freina, 1983 (western Himalaya)

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brahmaea wallichii.

Wikispecies has information related to Brahmaea wallichii.

1. ^ Gray, J.E. (1831): Description of a new species of Bombyx from Nepaul, discovered by Dr. WALLICH. — The Zoological Miscellany (London), 1, 1831: 39. scan
2. ^ Savela, Markku (November 24, 2002). "Genus Brahmaea". funet.fi. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
3. ^ Carter, David (2002). Butterflies and Moths (Second ed.). United States: Dorling Kindersley. p. 304\. ISBN 0-7894-8983-X.
4. ^ a b c d e Carter, David J. (1993). Vlinders (translated book) [Butterflies] (in Dutch) (First (translated) ed.). Baarn: Bosch & Keuning. p. 216\. ISBN 90-246-4923-4.
5. ^ Kotaro Konno; Sachiko Okada & Chikara Hirayama (2001). "Selective secretion of free glycine, a neutralizer against a plant defense chemical, in the digestive juice of the privet moth larvae". Journal of Insect Physiology. 47 (12): 1451–1457\. doi:10.1016/S0022-1910(01)00135-4. PMID 12770151.

Taxon identifiers

Brahmaea wallichii|

* Wikidata: Q528841
* Wikispecies: Brahmaea wallichi
* BioLib: 125310
* BOLD: 156389
* CoL: N683
* GBIF: 1869363
* iNaturalist: 700944
* IRMNG: 10336589
* LepIndex: 68567
* NCBI: 1973519
* Open Tree of Life: 3102040