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Project Noah Nature School
Zygaena trifolii
Moth in the family Zygaenidae which is very active in the daylight. Black-violet moth with five red spots on anverse of the black forewings. The hindwings are red. The black antennae are mace-like. The wingspan is 28-33 mm. These moths have an aposematic coloration (Müllerian mimicry) that tell predators that they are poisonous since they contain hydrogen cyanide inside their little bodies. They are slow fliers and do not fly very high. The larvae feed on the leaves of Lotus uliginosus and Lotus corniculatus. The species overwinters in the larval stage and may overwinter twice. Adults are on wing from the mid June to the beginning of August in one generation per year.
Spotted on open meadows close to the beach.
Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/400 sec.; f/10; ISO Speed Rating: 400. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 300.0 mm. No flash fired
Spotted on Aug 28, 2013
Submitted on Dec 10, 2013
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