Ricanula stigmatica
Image Copyright Tijl Adriaen
Last Observed: 2015, Koh Chang
Observed By: Tijl Adriaen
This moth has an impressive yellow and reddish brown-two tone coat.
It would only be useful for camouflage if the moth landed specifically halfway between yellow and reddish-brown backgrounds. Perhaps that’s what it does.
Ricanula stigmatica at natureloveyou.sg
Rounded Palm-redeye (Erionata torus)
Image Copyright David Hinchliffe
Last Observed: 2011, Koh Chang
Observed By: David Hinchliffe
The most striking feature of this small tawny couloured moth is it’s brightly coloured red eye. It seems a strange evolutionary selection to reveal the eye so clearly when so many other animals go to elaborate lengths to conceal their vulnerable eyes.
If anyone knows why this is the case then we’d love to know.
Rounded palm-redeye ifoundbutterflies.org
Phalera reya
Image Copyright 2015 Hans-Henrik Hansen
Last Observed: 2015, Koh Chang
Observed By: Hans-Henrik Hansen
Phalera reya is a brilliant imitator. When perched with its wings folded it looks exactly like a small twig. The level of detail is impressive, there is even a patch of ‘lichen’ featured on each wing.
Phalera (Genus) Wikipedia
Peridrome orbicularis
Last Observed: 2010, Koh Chang
Observed By: Dave Hinchliffe
Poor old Peridrome orbicularis. It doesn’t seem to have a common name – just the Latin one. You would think that some moth-spotter somewhere would have considered it beautiful enough to merit its own common name – even if it was something as prosaic as “Black-spotted orange moth”.
Maybe it has a name somewhere and we just haven’t found it yet.
Until then, at least on Koh Chang Nature, it shall be known as the Tequila Sunset Moth.
Peridrome orbicularis Wikipedia
Day-Flying Moth Caterpiller (Cyclosia papilionaris)
Image Copyright 2005 David Hinchliffe
Last Observed: November 2005, White Sand Beach – Koh Chang
Observed By: Dave Hinchliffe
This astonishing looking caterpillar is in fact the juvenile form of the Day-Flying Moth. It also goes by the more appropriate name of Drury’s Jewel. It is covered in yellow coloured protrusions with just six that are red in colour.
Surprisingly the moth that it eventually transforms into is a simple black and white colour. Where all that colour goes is anybody’s guess.
More information
Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)
Image Copyright 2015 David Vinot
Last Observed: February 2015, Koh Chang
Observed By: David Vinot, Iris Gerardi
The huge Atlas Moth is the second largest of the world’s moth species with the larger female of the species achieving a wingspan of up to 25cm. They are a reasonably common sight on koh Chang and have a very distinctive wing pattern.
Atlas Moth Wikipedia
Image Copyright Iris Gerardi
Adamson’s Rose (Byasa adamsoni)
Image Copyright 2015 David Vinot
Last Observed: February 2015, Koh Chang
Observed By: David Vinot
The Adamson’s Rose is a Koh Chang native butterly that is a member of the Swallowtail butterfly family.
Adamson’s Rose Wikipedia
Giant Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia)
Image Copyright 2012 David Hinchliffe
Last Observed: November 2012, Koh Chang
Observed By: Dave Hinchliffe
The Giant Leopard Moth is a large, pale coloured Koh Chang native moth with distinctive reddish brown or black spots.
Giant Leopard Moth Wikipedia
Image Copyright 2012 David Hinchliffe
Image Copyright 2012 David Hinchliffe