Pollanisus nielseni facts for kids

Pollanisus nielseni is a type of moth found in Western Australia. These moths live mostly near the coast. They have super shiny front wings that look golden and green! Adult moths fly during the day, especially when it's sunny. Female moths lay their eggs on a plant called Hibbertia spicata. After laying an egg, the female touches it with a special tuft of hair on her belly. This adds tiny, protective spines to the egg. The young moths, called larvae, are very colorful and eat H. spicata before they turn into pupae.

About This Moth

The first Pollanisus nielseni moth was found near Wedge Island in Western Australia in 1995. A scientist named Gerhard M. Tarmann described it in 2005. He wrote about it in his book, Zygaenid Moths of Australia.

Before 2005, people thought P. nielseni was just a different version of a slightly bigger moth called Pollanisus cupreus. Both moths live in the same areas and look similar. However, P. nielseni is smaller. Its front wings are also much shinier than those of P. cupreus.

The name nielseni was chosen to honor Ebbe Nielsen. He was a famous Danish insect scientist who passed away before this moth was officially named.

What P. nielseni Looks Like

Male P. nielseni moths have front wings that are about 9 to 10 mm (0.35 to 0.39 in) long. Females have slightly shorter front wings, about 8 to 8.5 mm (0.31 to 0.33 in) long.

The tiny scales on their front wings are very bright and metallic. They are usually golden and green, which makes the moth look super shiny. Their back wings are dark and not see-through. The moth's head, antennae, legs, and body are often a shiny bluish-green color.

Female moths have a yellow tuft of hair on their belly. They use this tuft to put protective scales on their pale yellow eggs after laying them. When the eggs hatch, the young larvae are very colorful.

When these moths fly, their wings beat at a steady speed. When they are resting, their wings lie flat on their body. The wings have tiny, hook-like hairs that connect to their body. This helps to lock the wings in place, like Velcro! This special wing-locking system is common in this moth family.

Life Cycle and Behavior

Scientists think P. nielseni moths have two generations each year. One group appears in early spring, and another in mid-summer.

Female moths lay pale yellow eggs one by one. They place them on the leaves, flowers, or stems of a small shrub called Hibbertia spicata. The colorful larvae eat this plant. After they grow enough, they spin silken cocoons. They might make these cocoons on leaves, stems, or in leaf litter on the ground. Inside the cocoons, there are tiny crystals that the larvae produce.

Adult moths fly during the day and are most active on sunny days. People have seen them drinking nectar from the flowers of Arctotheca calendula and Phyllanthus calycinus.

Some female moths have a special way to protect their eggs from tiny enemies. The Pollanisus moths have a tuft of hair at the end of their belly. After laying each egg, the female brushes this hair tuft over it. This attaches small, spiny scales to the egg's surface. These scales likely help keep predators away.