Family: Arctiidae
Sub-Family: Arctiinae
Sub-Family: Arctiinae
Species: Cyana sp.
Common name(s): Footman moth s.l.
Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)
Despite being a butterfly amateur enthusiast, I can’t resist sharing a picture showing an Arctiid Moth caterpillar (Cyana sp., Lithosiini, Arctiinae) in its woven basket, where it will soon pupate.
The cocoon made by this caterpillar is quite remarkable. It is an open square mesh cage, constructed out of larval setae (hairs) held together with silk! The hairs are too short to construct the cage directly, so the caterpillar attaches pairs of hairs to each other end to end, and uses these pairs to make the sides of the cage.
Arctiidae is a family of moths that includes lichen moths, tiger moths, wasp moths and footman moths.
The pupa is suspended in the middle of the cage, equidistant from the sides. When the moth emerges, it can exit the cage without damaging it.
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