Scarlet tiger moth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scarlet Tiger Moth |
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Callimorpha
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| Callimorpha dominula |
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The Scarlet Tiger Moth (Callimorpha dominula) is a very colorful moth. You can often see it flying during the day. It lives in Europe and parts of Asia. This moth is part of a group called the tiger moth family, known as Arctiidae.
Its caterpillars mainly eat a plant called comfrey. The adult moth flies in the daytime. It has a clever trick to stay safe. Its front wings have colors that help it blend in. But its back wings are bright red! If something tries to bother it, the moth quickly moves its front wings. This shows off the bright red back wings. It's like a sudden flash of warning color to scare off predators.
Sometimes, these moths can have different colors. Most have red back wings. But a few might have yellow back wings and a yellow body. Others might have more black on their back wings. Yellow, black, and red are common warning colors in nature. Many insects and animals use these colors to tell others they might be dangerous or taste bad.
Scientists have studied these different color types for many years. They looked at a group of moths in a place called the Cothill reserve in Oxfordshire, England. Famous scientists like E.B. Ford and R.A. Fisher did research there.
Scarlet Tiger Moth Life Cycle
Like all moths, the Scarlet Tiger Moth goes through different stages as it grows. This is called its life cycle. It starts as an egg, hatches into a caterpillar, then becomes a chrysalis, and finally turns into an adult moth.
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Eggs
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Caterpillar
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Chrysalis
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Imago (Adult Moth)
