Triangular-striped Moth

Description:

Erebidae; Erebinae; Ophiusini; Chalciope mygdon Cramer, 1777. In preparation for each rice growing season, in our area, seeds are sown very densely in a relatively small field where they germinate and start to develop. When they reach a certain stage of development, they are uprooted and transplanted more spaciously. It is well known in the farming community that the seedling stage is very vulnerable to infestation. No matter what preventative measures are taken, there is always a certain level of insect presence. That is when I have a chance to photograph a variety of bugs. However, it is not just a question of point and shoot. I know that the insects are there, because I get little glimpses of them through the density of the seedlings, but getting a decent picture is another matter. I mention all of this to give some understanding of the pictures above. On that day, I wanted to get pictures of C. mygdon as I could see them here and there. The photos above show 3 different individuals. I took more than 20 pictures of these moths and only 3 were usable. As you can see, only one shows a complete moth.

Habitat:

These three Chalciope mygdon moths were spotted within a few feet of each other, sheltering from the rain deep in amongst rice seedlings.

Notes:

A note of caution, if you live in a rice growing area, please don't go into somebody's field without permission (my wife barely tolerates me going into her land, when there are seedlings growing). It is not just a question of possible damage to the crop, there is also the possibility of encountering a snake.