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Amerila rubripes
When disturbed, this Arctiid exudes a frothy liquid from glands beside its eyes, which is probably toxic. This behaviour gives the moth its name. It measured about 3cm from head to the wing tips. Colouration is white, with a red collar and red markings on the head and thorax (which also displays some black spots); forewings are semi-translucent white; abdomen upper side is yellow and underside white.
Found among foliage on the banks of the Norman River.
Spotted on May 12, 2009
Submitted on Jun 30, 2017
18 Comments
Found dead one at Forsayth
Wow, thanks so much!
Congratulations again Felix, your frother has been chosen to illustrate our fact of the day for National Moth Wekk 2017:
National Moth Week 2017 is now going full steam! Thanks to all of you who continue to submit moths spottings. In honor of this year’s focus on tiger moths, Project Noah ranger, National Moth Week organizer and Cornell University entomology student Jacob Gorneau is bringing us daily interesting facts about tiger moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae). We've recently featured this species, but it's too good not to have it again:
"Some tiger moths have glands that emit toxins when threatened. Many of these tiger moths are known in Australia as “frothers” for the bubbly toxins they exude".
Walker's Frother (Amerila rubripes) spotted in Queensland, Australia, by Felix Fleck
http://buff.ly/2uyVu0h
National Moth Week is from July 22-30. Are you participating? Please register a public or private event here: http://buff.ly/2uyLZON, especially if your country or region isn't on the map yet!
Don't forget to submit photos of moths you spot here!
http://buff.ly/2uyL0hG
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Thanks a lot for your support, António, flowntheloop, Zlatan, Jim, and Kostas. Hugely appreciated :-)
Great capture Félix,congrats on the well deserved SOTW and thanks for sharing
Congrats!
congrats Felix.
Well done, Felix!
Congratulations Felix!
Thanks so much for the SOTW! Always an honour.
Thanks, Mark!
Congratulations Felix.
Congratulations Felix, this amazing moth has been voted Spotting of the Week!
"Find out about our amazing Spotting of the Week, Walker's Frother (Amerila rubripes)! This beautiful moth in the family Arctiidae is found in Queensland, Australia. Like some other species in the genus Amerila, Walker's Frother has a special type of defense mechanism whereby when disturbed it exudes a frothy yellow fluid from glands beside its eyes. See it in action here:
http://buff.ly/2sCMC78".
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Thank you, Zlatan.
wow, a real beauty.
I suppose it didn't feel threatened by me and my camera, since it didn't do the bubbling thing :-)
Hope to see this one one day.. when it's bubbling.
Thanks for the nomination, Ashley!
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!