Cosmodes elegans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cosmodes elegans |
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Cosmodes
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C. elegans
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| Cosmodes elegans (Donovan, 1805)
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The green blotched moth (Cosmodes elegans) is a beautiful moth from the Noctuidae family. You can find it in many parts of Australia, like New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. It also lives on Norfolk Island and in New Zealand.
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What Does the Green Blotted Moth Look Like?
Adult green blotched moths are mostly brown. They have cool, wavy green patterns on their front wings. Their back wings are white, turning light brown near the edges. Just behind their heads, they have a fuzzy crest. These moths have a wingspan of about 40 millimeters (that's about 1.5 inches).
The caterpillars of this moth are bright green. They grow to be about 3 centimeters long (a little over an inch). They have dark spots called spiracles on their sides. These are like tiny breathing holes.
Where Do Green Blotted Moths Live?
The green blotched moth originally comes from Australia. But during the summer, some of them fly all the way to New Zealand! They like to live in clearings within forests. You can usually find them there from January to May.
When it's time to change into a moth, the caterpillar builds a cocoon. It hides its cocoon among the leaves of the plants it likes to eat.
What Do Green Blotted Moth Caterpillars Eat?
The young moths, called larvae or caterpillars, enjoy eating certain plants. They feed on Lobelia species, Verbena species, and Wahlenbergia species.
Images for kids
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This picture was part of the very first description of this moth.
