This adult moth has an amazing defence mechanism, shared by other moths of the genus Amerila. When disturbed, it exudes a frothy yellow fluid from glands beside the eyes, and makes a sizzling noise!

Similar behaviour has been observed in fertilised females of the North-American moth Utetheisa ornatrix which is also in ARCTIIDAE.

It has a wingspan of about 5 cms.

The species is found in :

Queensland.

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Further reading :

David Carter,
Butterflies and Moths, Collins Eyewitness Handbooks, Sydney 1992, p. 277.

Ian F.B. Common, Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 434.

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