Amerila rubripes Walker, [1865]
Walker's Frother
(previously: Rhodogastria rubripes)
ARCTIINI,   ARCTIINAE,   EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA
  
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Amerila rubripes
(Photo: courtesy of Sean Norman, Airley Beach, Queensland)

The Caterpillars of this moth have been found feeding on poisonous vines in the family APOCYNACEAE such as

  • Rubber Vine ( Cryptostegia grandiflora ), and
  • Island Rattan ( Gymnanthera oblonga ).

    Amerila rubripes
    (Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda, Queensland)

    The adult moth has wings that are a translucent white, with a white head, and white thorax with black spots. There is a red collar between the head and thorax. The abdomen is yellow on top and white underneath. There are red and orange areas on the legs, hind wings, and body. The moth has a wingspan of about 5 cms.

    Amerila rubripes
    (Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

    The adult moth when disturbed, exudes a frothy yellow fluid from glands beside the eyes, and makes a sizzling noise.

    Amerila rubripes
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

    The species is found in Australia in

  • Western Australia,
  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp. 434-435.

    Buck Richardson,
    Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn Science and Art,
    LeapFrogOz, Kuranda, 2015, p. 13.

    Francis Walker,
    Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,
    List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Part 31, Supplement 1 (1865), pp. 304-305.

    Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards,
    A Guide to Australian Moths,
    CSIRO Publishing, 2007, p. 181.


    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 9 February 2013, 16 July 2023)