Tropical Ermine Moth

Description:

Attevidae; Atteva Walker,1854; Atteva sp. "Atteva is a genus of moths in the monotypic family Attevidae. The group has a pantropical distribution; however, the range of at least one species, Atteva aurea, extends into the temperate zone. No consistent hypotheses regarding the relationships, placement, and ranking of Attevidae have been published, but the prevalent view is that they likely form a monophyletic group within the Yponomeutoidea*."

Habitat:

I spotted this Tropical Ermine Moth in one of my favourite haunts, the rice mill back yard. This is a place where people rarely go and the grasses and foliage just grow wild and free. So it is a kind of haven for many little creatures. I sometimes look for behavioural traits e.g. a liking for shaded and damp areas or bright and sunny places. The little moths shown here did not display any preference for light or shade, damp or dry. They were just enjoying being moths. It always makes me feel a deep kind of contentment to see them undisturbed in their daily existence. After all, they have been around hundreds of millions of years longer than us and they deserve to be left alone.

Notes:

Yponomeutoidea is a superfamily of ermine moths and relatives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yponomeuto...