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Amata sp.
It looks like a Handmaiden moth but what really caught my eye were the stiff hook-like antennae. Wings have three, sort of heart shaped,windows. The body is yellow and black...the most visually striking colour combination and therefore I was surprised when a Drongo made a couple of very low passes over the Basil plant but ignored or missed this one.
On a potted Basil plant on my roof top terrace.
The next day another moth had joined it and the two stayed there face to face till the rains drove me away.
Spotted on Jul 28, 2014
Submitted on Jul 28, 2014
![[g] Amata - mating](https://lh5.ggpht.com/6CLt1c74FWbLG9HU9ZZI7zPT0hyj1r3Pgld_4wTQF95aiEG-5m23RTYL69LKwWnmRk86XsXnbsuyL8wM5M4=s62-c)
6 Comments
Thank you, Malcolm Wilton-Jones.
Looks similar to Hanmaiden, which has 6 spots on each wing and not 3 as this one, but also looks similar to the Variable Burnet (Genus Zygaena) though not exactly the same. Check this page form our member Chun http://wongchunxing.com/Insects/2_pairWi...
wow thats absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Hema,
Drongo was definitely hunting...but gave this moth a great miss, twice. The colouration...you are right...maybe toxic. This one is a little different from the ones I usually see.
usually color yellow is viewed as toxic.
lovely moth with a great description.
Drongo might not be hungry?