FAMILY NAME: Arctiidae GENUS/SPECIES: Utetheisa pulchelloides COMMON NAMES: Salt and Pepper moth
SIZE: Wingspan approx 30mm or 1.2" and a body length about 20mm or 0.75".
LOCATION: Found throughout the Indo-Australian regions, New Zealand, Norfolk Island and in Hong Kong.
LIFE CYCLE:
- The Eggs are pale green and are laid in rows along the leaf tip. They hatch within 8-9 days.
- The Larvae has a black body with orange spots and broken cream lines along the length. It also has sparse grey hairs protruding along the length of the body.
- The Pupae might be found on the host plant within a curled up leaf, or on the ground underneath the host plant. This stage lasts for 9-10 days, at which time the adult moth emerges.
- The Adult does not venture far from the host plants, and from the time it lays eggs to the life cycle being complete, is about 36-40 days.
HOST PLANTS:
- Heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum)
- Patersons' Curse (Echium plantagineum)
- Octopus Bush (Argusia argentea)
- Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis)
GENERAL: The adult moths have white fore-wings with red/brown and black spots, while the hind-wings are white with black tips and irregular black margin, and they also have two black spots. The head and upper body are white with black spots and the remainder is white.
