Wasp Moth

Description:

Erebidae; Arctiinae; Syntomini; Caeneressa sp. This moth looks a little like a wasp, hence the common name. The antennae start bluish at the head and gradually change to brown about three fourths along. The remaining one fourth at the tip is white. The wings are dark (almost black) with just a hint of yellowish veining. The main feature of the wings (front and rear) is the presence of translucent "windows" with a slight tinge of blue and the legs are yellowish with some dark marks. The entire body is metallic blue with some small yellow marks on the dorsal surfaces, but much heaver, elongated yellow spots running along the sides.

Habitat:

This very beautiful moth was spotted on a steeply sloped roadside embankment covered in dense foliage. There was very little human habitation in the area and the elevation was about 200 feet above sea level. The location was roughly 1 Km. from the shore of the South China Sea.

Notes:

Regrettably, I was only able to take pictures through a small gap in the foliage. The slightest deviation in angle caused the moth to be hidden behind leaves and branches. So all the pictures looked the same. The two I have placed here have only a minute difference, but on the first one, there is just a glimpse of the spots on the side of the abdomen. Sorry!