Pink-bordered yellow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pink-bordered yellow |
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The pink-bordered yellow (scientific name: Phytometra rhodarialis) is a small, colorful moth. It belongs to a large group of moths called the Erebidae family. This moth was first officially described by a scientist named Francis Walker in 1859.
About the Pink-Bordered Yellow Moth
This pretty moth gets its name from its bright yellow wings, which often have a pink or reddish border. It's a small moth, with a wingspan of about 20 millimeters. That's about the size of a small coin!
Where Do They Live?
The pink-bordered yellow moth lives in North America. You can find them in places like southern Ontario in Canada. In the United States, they live in states from Missouri and New Hampshire all the way south to Florida and Texas. Sometimes, they might fly further north, but they usually stay in these warmer areas.
Life Cycle
These moths have a busy life! In some places, like Ohio and New Jersey, they can have two or more generations in a single year. This means they go through their full life cycle (egg, larva, pupa, adult moth) multiple times. In warmer southern areas, they can have even more generations.
What Do They Eat?
The young moths, called larvae or caterpillars, have a special diet. They mostly eat plants from the Polygala family. These plants are also known as milkworts. Scientists have seen the larvae eating specific types like Polygala lutea and Polygala mariana.
The larvae are quite picky eaters! They prefer to munch on the flowers of these plants. They also chew on the green outer layers of the square-shaped stems. Interestingly, they don't seem to eat the leaves very much.
